Image coding method, image coding apparatus, image decoding method and image decoding apparatus

ABSTRACT

An image coding method including: binarizing last position information to generate (i) a binary signal which includes a first signal having a length smaller than or equal to a predetermined maximum length and does not include a second signal or (ii) a binary signal which includes the first signal having the predetermined maximum length and the second signal; first coding for arithmetically coding each of binary symbols included in the first signal using a context switched among a plurality of contexts according to a bit position of the binary symbol; and second coding for arithmetically coding the second signal using a fixed probability when the binary signal includes the second signal, wherein in the first coding, a binary symbol at a last bit position of the first signal is arithmetically coded using a context exclusive to the last bit position, when the first signal has the predetermined maximum length.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 61/556,398 filed on Nov. 7, 2011. The entire disclosure ofthe above-identified application, including the specification, drawingsand claims is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an image coding technique and an imagedecoding technique for arithmetic coding or arithmetic decoding.

BACKGROUND

Applications for providing services via the Internet (e.g.,video-conference, digital video broadcast, and Video on Demand servicesincluding video content streaming) are increasing. These applicationsrely on transmission of video data. When the applications transmit videodata, most video data is transmitted via a conventional transmissionpath having a limited bandwidth. Furthermore, when the applicationsrecord video data, most video data is recorded on a conventionalrecording medium having a limited capacity. To transmit video data viathe conventional transmission path or record video data on theconventional recording medium, it is indispensable to compress or reducethe data amount of the video data.

In view of this, many video coding standards have been developed tocompress video data. These video coding standards are, for example,ITU-T standards denoted as H.26x and ISO/IEC standards denoted asMPEG-x. Currently, the latest and most advanced video coding standard isthe standard denoted as H.264/MPEG-4 AVC (see Non Patent Literature 1and Non Patent Literature 2).

The coding approach underlying most of these video coding standards isbased on prediction coding that includes the following main steps of (a)to (d): (a) Divide each video frame into blocks each having pixels tocompress data of the video frame on a block-by-block basis. (b) Predicteach block based on previously coded video data to identify temporal andspatial redundancy. (c) Subtract the predicted data from the video datato remove the identified redundancy. (d) Compress remaining data(residual blocks) by Fourier transform, quantization, and entropycoding.

As for the step (a), the current video coding standard providesdifferent prediction modes depending on a macroblock to be predicted.According to most of the video coding standards, motion estimation andmotion compensation are used for predicting video data based on apreviously coded and decoded frame (inter frame prediction).Alternatively, block data may be extrapolated from an adjacent block ofthe same frame (intra frame prediction).

In the step (d), quantized coefficients included in a current block tobe coded are scanned in a predetermined order (scan order). Then,information (SignificantFlag) indicating whether the scannedcoefficients are zero coefficients or non-zero coefficients (e.g.,binary information (symbol) indicating a non-zero coefficient as 1 and azero coefficient as 0) is coded.

Furthermore, information indicating the position of the last non-zerocoefficient in the scan order (last position information) is binarized,coded by context adaptive binary arithmetic coding, and decoded bycontext adaptive binary arithmetic decoding.

CITATION LIST Non Patent Literature [Non Patent Literature 1]

ITU-T Recommendation H.264 “Advanced video coding for genericaudiovisual services”, March 2010.

[Non Patent Literature 2]

JCT-VC “WD4: Working Draft 4 of High-Efficiency Video Coding”,JCTVC-F803, July 2011.

SUMMARY Technical Problem

However, with the conventional technique, appropriate switching amongcontexts is difficult in context adaptive binary arithmetic coding andcontext adaptive binary arithmetic decoding of the last positioninformation. For example, when the same context is used for binarysymbols that are significantly different in probability of symboloccurrence, the accuracy of predicting the probability of symboloccurrence decreases, and thus the coding efficiency also decreases.

In view of this, one non-limiting and exemplary embodiment provides animage coding method and an image decoding method for arithmeticallycoding and arithmetically decoding the last position information using acontext which is appropriately switched among a plurality of contexts.

Solution to Problem

An image coding method according to an aspect of the present disclosureis an image coding method for coding last position informationindicating a position of a last non-zero coefficient in a predeterminedorder in a current block to be coded, the image coding method including:binarizing the last position information to generate (i) a binary signalwhich includes a first signal having a length smaller than or equal to apredetermined maximum length and does not include a second signal or(ii) a binary signal which includes the first signal having thepredetermined maximum length and the second signal; first coding forarithmetically coding each of binary symbols included in the firstsignal using a context switched among a plurality of contexts accordingto a bit position of the binary symbol; and second coding forarithmetically coding the second signal using a fixed probability whenthe binary signal includes the second signal, wherein in the firstcoding, a binary symbol at a last bit position of the first signal isarithmetically coded using a context exclusive to the last bit position,when the first signal has the predetermined maximum length.

It is to be noted that this general aspect may be implemented using asystem, an apparatus, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or acomputer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, or any combinationof systems, apparatuses, integrated circuits, computer programs, orcomputer-readable recording media.

Advantageous Effects

With the image coding method according to an aspect of the presentdisclosure, it is possible to arithmetically code the last positioninformation using a context which is appropriately switched among aplurality of contexts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and other objects, advantages and features of the disclosure willbecome apparent from the following description thereof taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate a specificembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of animage decoding apparatus according to the underlying knowledge.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of an image decoding methodaccording to the underlying knowledge.

FIG. 3A is a diagram showing an example of binary signals of lastposition information when the block size is 4×4.

FIG. 3B is a diagram showing an example of binary signals of lastposition information when the block size is 8×8.

FIG. 3C is a diagram showing an example of binary signals of lastposition information when the block size is 16×16.

FIG. 3D is a diagram showing an example of binary signals of lastposition information when the block size is 32×32.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing context adaptive binary arithmeticdecoding.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing bypass decoding.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing normalization.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an imagedecoding apparatus according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 8A is a flowchart showing an example of processing operations of animage decoding apparatus according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 8B is a flowchart showing another example of processing operationsof an image decoding apparatus according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 9A is a flowchart showing an example of processing operations of asecond decoding unit according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 9B is a diagram showing an example of a relationship between theblock size and the maximum length of a prefix part according toEmbodiment 1.

FIG. 9C is a diagram showing another example of a relationship betweenthe block size and the maximum length of a prefix part according toEmbodiment 1.

FIG. 9D is a diagram showing an example of a relationship between theblock size and the rice parameter according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 9E is a diagram showing another example of a relationship betweenthe block size and the rice parameter according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 10A is a flowchart showing an example of a method of determining anRP value and a maximum length of a prefix part.

FIG. 10B is a flowchart showing another example of a method ofdetermining an RP value and a maximum length of a prefix part.

FIG. 10C is a flowchart showing another example of a method ofdetermining an RP value and a maximum length of a prefix part.

FIG. 10D is a flowchart showing another example of a method ofdetermining an RP value and a maximum length of a prefix part.

FIG. 11A is a diagram for describing a relationship between bitpositions and contexts according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 11B is a diagram for describing a relationship between bitpositions and contexts according to a comparable example.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of animage decoding apparatus according to a variation of Embodiment 1.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of animage coding apparatus according to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 14A is a flowchart showing an example of processing operations ofan image coding apparatus according to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 14B is a flowchart showing another example of processing operationsof an image coding apparatus according to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of binary signals of lastposition information when the block size is 16×16.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of animage coding apparatus according to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 17 shows an overall configuration of a content providing system forimplementing content distribution services.

FIG. 18 shows an overall configuration of a digital broadcasting system.

FIG. 19 shows a block diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof a television.

FIG. 20 shows a block diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof an information reproducing/recording unit that reads and writesinformation from and on a recording medium that is an optical disk.

FIG. 21 shows an example of a configuration of a recording medium thatis an optical disk.

FIG. 22A shows an example of a cellular phone.

FIG. 22B is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of acellular phone.

FIG. 23 illustrates a structure of multiplexed data.

FIG. 24 schematically shows how each stream is multiplexed inmultiplexed data.

FIG. 25 shows how a video stream is stored in a stream of PES packets inmore detail.

FIG. 26 shows a structure of TS packets and source packets in themultiplexed data.

FIG. 27 shows a data structure of a PMT.

FIG. 28 shows an internal structure of multiplexed data information.

FIG. 29 shows an internal structure of stream attribute information.

FIG. 30 shows steps for identifying video data.

FIG. 31 shows an example of a configuration of an integrated circuit forimplementing the moving picture coding method and the moving picturedecoding method according to each of embodiments.

FIG. 32 shows a configuration for switching between driving frequencies.

FIG. 33 shows steps for identifying video data and switching betweendriving frequencies.

FIG. 34 shows an example of a look-up table in which video datastandards are associated with driving frequencies.

FIG. 35A is a diagram showing an example of a configuration for sharinga module of a signal processing unit.

FIG. 35B is a diagram showing another example of a configuration forsharing a module of the signal processing unit.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Underlying Knowledge Forming Basis of thePresent Disclosure

The inventors have found the following matter regarding the arithmeticcoding and arithmetic decoding of the last position informationdescribed in the “Background” section.

It is to be noted that in the following description, the last positioninformation indicates a horizontal position and a vertical position ofthe last non-zero coefficient in a predetermined order in a currentblock. Here, the last position information includes a horizontalcomponent (hereinafter referred to as “X component”) and a verticalcomponent (hereinafter referred to as “Y component”). The X componentindicates a horizontal position in the current block. The Y componentindicates a vertical position in the current block.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of animage decoding apparatus 1000 according to the underlying knowledge.FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of an image decoding methodaccording to the underlying knowledge. As shown in FIG. 1, the imagedecoding apparatus 1000 includes a first decoding unit 1001, a seconddecoding unit 1002, a decoding control unit 1003, and a reconstructingunit 1004.

The image decoding apparatus 1000 obtains a bit stream BS which includesthe last position information. Then, the image decoding apparatus 1000inputs the bit stream BS to the first decoding unit 1001, the seconddecoding unit 1002, and the decoding control unit 1003.

The decoding control unit 1003 manages whether each signal in theobtained bit stream BS is the X component or the Y component of the lastposition information.

The first decoding unit 1001 arithmetically decodes a prefix part of theX component of the last position information included in the bit streamBS (S1001). More specifically, the first decoding unit 1001arithmetically decodes the prefix part of the X component by contextadaptive binary arithmetic decoding. Here, the prefix part is a part ofthe binary signal of the X component or the Y component, which is codedby context adaptive binary arithmetic coding.

Next, the first decoding unit 1001 determines whether or not the binarysignal of the X component includes a suffix part (S1002). The suffixpart is a part of the binary signal of the X component or the Ycomponent, which is coded by bypass coding.

The prefix part and the suffix part are determined according to eachvalue (hereinafter referred also to as “last value”) of the X componentand the Y component as shown in FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D, for example. Thus,with a predetermined method, the first decoding unit 1001 can determinewhether or not the binary signal of the X component includes the suffixpart.

More specifically, when the size of a transform block (hereinafterreferred to as “transform size”) is 4×4, for example, the binary signalof the X component includes the prefix part only and does not includethe suffix part regardless of the last value as shown in FIG. 3A. Thus,the first decoding unit 1001 determines that the binary signal of the Xcomponent does not include the suffix part when the size of a block tobe decoded is 4×4.

In the case where the transform size is 8×8, for example, the firstdecoding unit 1001 determines that the decoded binary signal of the Xcomponent does not include the suffix part when any of binary symbolvalues up to the binary symbol value of the 4th bit of the binary signalof the X component is “1” as shown in FIG. 38. On the other hand, thefirst decoding unit 1001 determines that the decoded binary signal ofthe X component includes a suffix part having a fixed length of 2 bitswhen the binary symbol values up to the binary symbol value of the 4thbit of the binary signal of the X component are all “0”.

In the case where the transform size is 16×16, for example, the firstdecoding unit 1001 determines that the decoded binary signal of the Xcomponent does not include the suffix part when any of the binary symbolvalues up to the binary symbol value of the 8th bit of the binary signalof the X component is “1” as shown in FIG. 3C. On the other hand, thefirst decoding unit 1001 determines that the decoded binary signal ofthe X component includes a suffix part having a fixed length of 3 bitswhen the binary symbol values up to the binary symbol value of the 8thbit of the binary signal of the X component are all “0”.

In the case where the transform size is 32×32, for example, the firstdecoding unit 1001 determines that the decoded binary signal of the Xcomponent does not include the suffix part when any of binary symbolvalues up to the binary symbol value of the 16th bit of the binarysignal of the X component is “1” as shown in FIG. 3D. On the other hand,the first decoding unit 1001 determines that the decoded binary signalof the X component includes a suffix part having a fixed length of 4bits when the binary symbol values up to the binary symbol value of the16th bit of the binary signal of the X component are all “0”.

Here, when the binary signal of the X component includes the suffix part(Yes in S1002), the second decoding unit 1002 arithmetically decodes thesuffix part having a predetermined, fixed bit length (S1003). Morespecifically, the second decoding unit 1002 decodes the suffix part ofthe X component by bypass decoding. On the other hand, when the binarysignal of the X component does not include the suffix part (No inS1002), the decoding process for the suffix part is skipped.

The reconstructing unit 1004 reconstructs the X component of the lastposition information using the prefix part and the suffix part whichhave been decoded (S1004). More specifically, when the binary signal ofthe X component includes the suffix part, the reconstructing unit 1004reconstructs the X component by debinarizing the binary signal includingthe decoded prefix part and suffix part. On the other hand, when thebinary signal of the X component does not include the suffix part, thereconstructing unit 1004 reconstructs the X component by debinarizingthe binary signal including the decoded prefix part.

Next, the first decoding unit 1001 arithmetically decodes the prefixpart of the Y component of the last position information as in StepS1001 (S1005). After that, the first decoding unit 1001 determineswhether or not the binary signal of the Y component includes the suffixpart as in Step S1002 (S1006).

Here, when the binary signal of the Y component includes the suffix part(Yes in S1006), the second decoding unit 1002 arithmetically decodes thesuffix part having a predetermined fixed length as in Step S1003(S1007). On the other hand, when the binary signal of the Y componentdoes not include the suffix part (No in S1006), the decoding process forthe suffix part is skipped.

Lastly, the reconstructing unit 1004 reconstructs the Y component of thelast position information as in Step S1004 (S1008). More specifically,when the binary signal of the Y component includes the suffix part, thereconstructing unit 1004 reconstructs the Y component by debinarizingthe binary signal including the decoded prefix part and suffix part. Onthe other hand, when the binary signal of the Y component does notinclude the suffix part, the reconstructing unit 1004 reconstructs the Ycomponent by debinarizing the binary signal including the decoded prefixpart.

This is the manner in which the X component and the Y component includedin the last position information are reconstructed.

Next, variable-length coding and variable-length decoding will bedescribed. H.264 employs context adaptive binary arithmetic coding(CABAC) as one of variable-length coding methods. The prefix part iscoded by CABAC. In contrast, the suffix part is coded by bypass coding,which is arithmetic coding in which a fixed probability (e.g., “0.5”) isused. Hereinafter, context adaptive binary arithmetic decoding andbypass decoding will be described using FIG. 4 to FIG. 6.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing context adaptive binary arithmeticdecoding. It is to be noted that FIG. 4 has been excerpted from NonPatent Literature 1. Unless otherwise specified, the description of FIG.4 is as given in Non Patent Literature 1.

With the arithmetic decoding, first, context (ctxIdx) is inputted whichis determined based on the signal type of a current signal to bedecoded.

Next, the following process is performed in Step S2001.

First, qCodIRangeIdx is calculated from a first parameter codlRangeindicating a current state of arithmetic decoding. Furthermore,pStateIdx is obtained which is a state value corresponding to ctxIdx.Then, codlRangeLPS corresponding to the two values (qCodIRangeIdx andpStateIdx) is obtained by reference to a table (rangeTableLPS).

It is to be noted that codIRangeLPS indicates a state of arithmeticdecoding when LPS has occurred in a state of arithmetic decodingindicated by the first parameter codlRange. LPS specifies one of thesymbols “0” and “1” which has a lower probability of occurrence.

Furthermore, a value obtained by subtracting the above-mentionedcodlRangeLPS from the current codIRange is set to codIRange.

Next, in Step S2002, a comparison is made between codlRange and a secondparameter codIOffset which indicates a state of arithmetic decoding.

Here, when codIOffset is greater than or equal to codlRange (Yes inS2002), the following process is performed in Step S2003.

First, it is determined that LPS has occurred, and a value differentfrom valMPS (“0” when valMPS=1, and “1” when valMPS=0) is set to binValthat is a decoding output value. valMPS indicates a specific value ofMPS (“0” or “1”). MPS specifies one of the binary symbol values “0” and“1” which has a higher probability of occurrence.

Furthermore, a value obtained by subtracting codlRange from the currentcodIOffset is set to the second parameter codIOffset that indicates astate of arithmetic decoding. Furthermore, the value of codlRangeLPSwhich has been set in Step S2001 is set to the first parameter codlRangethat indicates a state of arithmetic decoding.

Next, in Step S2005, whether or not the value of pStateIdx is “0” isdetermined.

Here, when the value of pStateIdx is “0” (Yes in S2005), it means thatthe probability of LPS is greater than the probability of

MPS. Thus, the value of valMPS is switched over (i.e., “0” is set whenvalMPS=1, and “1” is set when valMPS=0) (Step S2006). On the other hand,when the value of pStateIdx is not “0” (No in S2005), the value ofpStateIdx is updated based on a transform table transIdxLPS that isreferred to when LPS occurs (Step S2007).

Furthermore, when codIOffset is smaller than codlRange (No in S2002), itis determined that MPS has occurred. Thus, valMPS is set to binVal thatis a decoding output value, and the value of pStateIdx is updated basedon a transform table transIdxMPS that is referred to when MPS occurs(Step S2004).

Lastly, normalization (RenormD) is performed (Step S2008), and thearithmetic decoding finishes.

As shown above, with the context adaptive binary arithmetic decoding,multiple probabilities of symbol occurrence, which are probabilities ofoccurrence of binary symbols, are held in association with contextindices. The contexts are switched according to a condition (e.g., valueof an adjacent block), and thus, it is necessary to maintain theprocessing order.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing bypass decoding. It is to be noted thatFIG. 5 has been excerpted from Non Patent Literature 1. Unless otherwisespecified, the description of FIG. 5 is as given in Non PatentLiterature 1.

First, the second parameter codIOffset that indicates a current state ofarithmetic decoding is left-shifted (doubled). Furthermore, one bit isread out from the bit stream, and when the read-out bit is “1”, 1 isadded to codIOffset (Step S3001).

Next, when codIOffset is greater than or equal to the first parametercodlRange that indicates a state of arithmetic decoding (Yes in S3002),“1” is set to binVal that is a decoding output value, and a valueobtained by subtracting codlRange from the current codIOffset is set tocodIOffset (Step S3003). On the other hand, when codIOffset is smallerthan the first parameter codlRange that indicates a state of arithmeticdecoding (No in S3002), “0” is set to binVal that is a decoding outputvalue (Step S3004).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for describing in detail the normalization(RenormD) shown in Step S2008 in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 has been excerpted fromNon Patent Literature 1. Unless otherwise specified, the description ofFIG. 6 is as given in Non Patent Literature 1.

When the first parameter codlRange that indicates a state of arithmeticdecoding has become smaller than 0×100 (in base 16: 256 (in base 10))(Yes in S4001), codlRange is left-shifted (doubled). Furthermore, thesecond parameter codIOffset that indicates a state of arithmeticdecoding is left-shifted (doubled). Moreover, one bit is read out fromthe bit stream, and when the read-out bit is “1”, 1 is added tocodIOffset (Step S4002).

When codIRange eventually reaches 256 or greater by this process in StepS4002 (No in S4001), the normalization finishes.

This is the manner in which the arithmetic decoding is performed.

However, appropriate switching among contexts (context models) isdifficult when coding or decoding the prefix part by context adaptivebinary arithmetic coding or context adaptive binary arithmetic decoding.For example, in arithmetic coding and arithmetic decoding of the prefixpart, the contexts are switched according to the bit position in thebinary signal. At this time, if a context is common to a plurality ofbit positions to reduce the capacity required of the memory and reducethe memory access, an identical context is in some cases used for bitpositions that are significantly different in probability of symboloccurrence. In such a case, the accuracy of predicting the probabilityof symbol occurrence decreases, and thus the coding efficiency alsodecreases.

In view of the foregoing, an image coding method according to an aspectof the present disclosure is an image coding method for coding lastposition information indicating a position of a last non-zerocoefficient in a predetermined order in a current block to be coded, theimage coding method including: binarizing the last position informationto generate (i) a binary signal which includes a first signal having alength smaller than or equal to a predetermined maximum length and doesnot include a second signal or (ii) a binary signal which includes thefirst signal having the predetermined maximum length and the secondsignal; first coding for arithmetically coding each of binary symbolsincluded in the first signal using a context switched among a pluralityof contexts according to a bit position of the binary symbol; and secondcoding for arithmetically coding the second signal using a fixedprobability when the binary signal includes the second signal, whereinin the first coding, a binary symbol at a last bit position of the firstsignal is arithmetically coded using a context exclusive to the last bitposition, when the first signal has the predetermined maximum length.

The binary symbol at the last bit position of the first signal indicateswhether or not the binary signal includes the second signal. This meansthat the binary symbol at the last bit position of the first signal hasa large influence on the coding efficiency. Thus, the binary symbol atthe last bit position of the first signal has a feature in symboloccurrence different from that of the binary symbols at the other bitpositions. In view of this, it is possible to increase the codingefficiency by arithmetically coding the binary symbol at the last bitposition of the first signal using the context exclusive to the last bitposition.

For example, in the first coding, each of binary symbols at two or morebit positions other than the last bit position of the first signal maybe arithmetically coded using a context common to the two or more bitpositions.

With this, each of binary symbols at two or more bit positions otherthan the last bit position of the first signal can be arithmeticallycoded using a context common to the two or more bit positions. Thisreduces the number of contexts as compared to the case of using adifferent context for each bit position, and thus the capacity requiredof the memory can be reduced.

For example, the binarizing may include varying the predeterminedmaximum length according to a size of the current block.

With this, the maximum length of the first signal can be variedaccording to the size of the current block to be coded. This makes itpossible to appropriately set the maximum length of the first signal,thereby increasing the coding efficiency.

For example, the image coding method may further include: switching acoding process to either a first coding process compliant with a firststandard or a second coding process compliant with a second standard;and adding, to a bit stream, identification information indicatingeither the first standard or the second standard with which the codingprocess switched to is compliant, wherein when the coding process isswitched to the first coding process, the binarizing, the first coding,and the second coding may be performed as the first coding process.

This makes it possible to switch between the first coding processcompliant with the first standard and the second coding processcompliant with the second standard.

Moreover, an image decoding method according to an aspect of the presentdisclosure is an image decoding method for decoding last positioninformation indicating a position of a last non-zero coefficient in apredetermined order in a current block to be decoded, the image decodingmethod including: first decoding for arithmetically decoding each ofbinary symbols included in a first signal using a context switched amonga plurality of contexts according to a bit position of the binarysymbol, the first signal being included in a binary signal of the lastposition information and having a length smaller than or equal to apredetermined maximum length; and second decoding for, when the binarysignal of the last position information includes a second signal,arithmetically decoding the second signal using a fixed probability,wherein in the first decoding, a binary symbol at a last bit position ofthe first signal is arithmetically decoded using a context exclusive tothe last bit position, when the first signal has the predeterminedmaximum length.

The binary symbol at the last bit position of the first signal indicateswhether or not the binary signal includes the second signal. This meansthat the binary symbol at the last bit position of the first signal hasa large influence on the coding efficiency. Thus, the binary symbol atthe last bit position of the first signal has a feature in valueoccurrence different from that of the binary symbols at the other bitpositions. In view of this, it is possible to increase the codingefficiency by arithmetically decoding the binary symbol at the last bitposition of the first signal using the context exclusive to the last bitposition.

For example, in the first decoding, each of binary symbols at two ormore bit positions other than the last bit position of the first signalmay be arithmetically decoded using a context common to the two or morebit positions.

With this, each of binary symbols at two or more bit positions otherthan the last bit position of the first signal can be arithmeticallydecoded using a context common to the two or more bit positions. Thisreduces the number of contexts as compared to the case of using adifferent context for each bit position, and thus the capacity requiredof the memory can be reduced.

For example, the predetermined maximum length may vary according to thesize of the current block.

With this, the maximum length of the first signal can be variedaccording to the size of the current block to be decoded. This makes itpossible to appropriately set the maximum length of the first signal,thereby increasing the coding efficiency.

For example, the image decoding method may further include switching adecoding process to either a first decoding process compliant with afirst standard or a second decoding process compliant with a secondstandard, according to identification information which is added to abit stream and indicates either the first standard or the secondstandard, wherein when the decoding process is switched to the firstdecoding process, the first decoding and the second decoding may beperformed as the first decoding process.

This makes it possible to switch between the first decoding processcompliant with the first standard and the second decoding processcompliant with the second standard.

It is to be noted that these general and specific aspects may beimplemented using a system, an apparatus, an integrated circuit, acomputer program, or a computer-readable recording medium such as aCD-ROM, or any combination of systems, apparatuses, integrated circuits,computer programs, or computer-readable recording media.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail using the drawings.

It is to be noted that each of the embodiments described below shows ageneral or specific example. The numerical values, shapes, materials,structural elements, the arrangement and connection of the structuralelements, steps, the processing order of the steps etc., shown in thefollowing embodiments are mere examples, and are therefore not intendedto limit the scope of the Claims. Furthermore, among the structuralelements in the following embodiments, structural elements not recitedin any one of the independent claims representing the most genericconcepts are described as arbitrary structural elements.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an imagedecoding apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1. The image decodingapparatus 100 decodes the last position information.

As shown in FIG. 7, the image decoding apparatus 100 includes anarithmetic decoding unit 110 and a reconstructing unit 104. Thearithmetic decoding unit 110 includes a first decoding unit 101, asecond decoding unit 102, and a decoding control unit 103.

The image decoding apparatus 100 obtains a bit stream BS which includesthe coded last position information.

The first decoding unit 101 arithmetically decodes each binary symbolincluded in a first signal which is included in a binary signal of thelast position information, using a context switched among a plurality ofcontexts according to the bit position of the binary symbol. In otherwords, the first decoding unit 101 decodes the first signal by contextadaptive binary arithmetic decoding.

The first signal is a part of the binary signal of the last positioninformation, which has been arithmetically coded using a contextswitched among a plurality of contexts. The first signal has a lengthsmaller than or equal to a predetermined maximum length. The firstsignal corresponds to the prefix part, for example.

Here, when the first signal has the predetermined maximum length, thefirst decoding unit 101 arithmetically decodes the binary symbol at thelast bit position of the first signal using a context exclusive to thelast bit position. In other words, the first decoding unit 101arithmetically decodes the binary symbol at the last bit position of thefirst signal using a context different from contexts used for arithmeticdecoding of binary symbols at the other bit positions.

For example, when the prefix part corresponding to the last value “7”shown in FIG. 3C is to be decoded, the first decoding unit 101arithmetically decodes the binary symbol of the 8th bit using a contextexclusive to the binary symbol of the 8th bit. In other words, the firstdecoding unit 101 arithmetically decodes the binary symbol of the 8thbit using, as the context for the bit position of the 8th bit, a contextdifferent from contexts for the bit positions of the 1st to 7th bits.

When the binary signal of the last position information includes asecond signal, the second decoding unit 102 arithmetically decodes thesecond signal using a fixed probability. In other words, the seconddecoding unit 102 decodes the second signal by bypass decoding.

The second signal is a part of the binary signal of the last positioninformation, which has been arithmetically coded using a fixedprobability. The second signal corresponds to the suffix part, forexample.

The decoding control unit 103 manages, for each part of the bit streamBS, whether the part is the X component or the Y component of the lastposition information. It is to be noted that the decoding control unit103 need not be included in the arithmetic decoding unit 110. That is tosay, the image decoding apparatus 100 need not include the decodingcontrol unit 103.

The reconstructing unit 104 reconstructs the horizontal component or thevertical component included in the last position information bydebinarizing (i) the binary signal which includes the first signal anddoes not include the second signal or (ii) the binary signal whichincludes the first signal and the second signal.

Next, using FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, the following describes in detailoperations of the image decoding apparatus 100 having the aboveconfiguration. Described hereinafter is the case where the first signalis the prefix part and the second signal is the suffix part.

FIG. 8A is a flowchart showing an example of processing operations ofthe image decoding apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1. As for FIG.8A, the prefix part of the X component, the suffix part of the Xcomponent, the prefix part of the Y component, and the suffix part ofthe Y component are coded and placed in the bit stream BS in this order.It is to be noted that in some cases the suffix part of each componentis not included in the bit stream BS depending on the value of thecomponent.

First, the first decoding unit 101 decodes, from the bit stream BS, thecoded prefix part of the X component by context adaptive binaryarithmetic decoding (S101). For example, the first decoding unit 101arithmetically decodes the coded prefix part on a one bit-by-one bitbasis until a predetermined maximum length is reached or until “1” isdecoded. It is to be noted that context switching will be describedlater.

Next, the first decoding unit 101 determines whether or not the binarysignal of the X component includes the suffix part (S102). For example,the first decoding unit 101 determines that the binary signal of the Xcomponent includes the suffix part when the prefix part has thepredetermined maximum length and the binary symbol values included inthe prefix part are all “0”.

It is to be noted that the maximum length of the prefix part ispredetermined according to the transform size, for example. For example,the maximum length of the prefix part is determined in the manner shownin FIG. 9B or FIG. 9C.

Here, when the binary signal of the X component includes the suffix part(Yes in S102), the second decoding unit 102 decodes the coded suffixpart of the X component by bypass decoding (S103). On the other hand,when the binary signal of the X component does not include the suffixpart (No in S102), Step S103 is skipped.

Next, the reconstructing unit 104 reconstructs the X component of thelast position information by debinarizing the binary signal of the Xcomponent which includes both the prefix part and the suffix part orwhich includes the prefix part only (S104).

After that, the first decoding unit 101 decodes, from the bit stream BS,the coded prefix part of the Y component by the context adaptive binaryarithmetic decoding (S105). More specifically, the first decoding unit101 decodes the prefix part of the Y component in the same manner as thedecoding of the prefix part of the X component.

Then, the first decoding unit 101 determines whether or not the binarysignal of the Y component includes the suffix part (S106). Morespecifically, the first decoding unit 101 determines whether or not thebinary signal of the Y component includes the suffix part in the samemanner as the determination as to whether or not the binary signal ofthe X component includes the suffix part.

Here, when the binary signal of the Y component includes the suffix part(Yes in S106), the second decoding unit 102 decodes the coded suffixpart of the Y component by bypass decoding (S107). On the other hand,when the binary signal of the Y component does not include the suffixpart (No in S106), Step S107 is skipped.

Lastly, the reconstructing unit 104 reconstructs the Y component of thelast position information by debinarizing the binary signal of the Ycomponent which includes both the prefix part and the suffix part orwhich includes the prefix part only (S108).

Next, the following describes the case where the prefix part and thesuffix part of each component are placed in the bit stream in an orderdifferent from that in FIG. 8A.

FIG. 8B is a flowchart showing another example of processing operationsof the image decoding apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1. It is tobe noted that in FIG. 8B, the processes performed in steps denoted bythe same reference signs as those in FIG. 8A are basically the same asthe processes described in FIG. 8A. Furthermore, here, a suffix flag isassumed to be set “OFF” as the default value. It is to be noted that thesuffix flag is an internal flag indicating whether or not the binarysignal of the X component of the last position information includes thesuffix part.

As for FIG. 8B, the prefix part of the X component, the prefix part ofthe Y component, the suffix part of the Y component, and the suffix partof the X component are coded and placed in the bit stream BS in thisorder. It is to be noted that in some cases the suffix part of eachcomponent is not included in the bit stream BS depending on the value ofthe component, as in the case of FIG. 8A.

First, the first decoding unit 101 decodes the coded prefix part of theX component by context adaptive binary arithmetic decoding (S101). Then,the first decoding unit 101 determines whether or not the binary signalof the X component includes the suffix part (S102). Here, when thebinary signal of the X component includes the suffix part (Yes in S102),the first decoding unit 101 sets the suffix flag “ON” (S111).

On the other hand, when the binary signal of the X component does notinclude the suffix part (No in S102), the first decoding unit 101 doesnot set the suffix flag “ON”. In other words, the suffix flag remains“OFF”, which is the default value. It is to be noted that the firstdecoding unit 101 may set the suffix flag “OFF” here.

Next, from Step S105 to Step S108, a process related to the Y componentis performed in the same manner as in FIG. 8A.

After that, the second decoding unit 102 determines whether or not thesuffix flag is set “ON” (S112). Here, when the suffix flag is set “ON”(Yes in S112), the second decoding unit 102 decodes the suffix part ofthe X component by bypass decoding (S103). On the other hand, when thesuffix flag is not set “ON” (No in S112), Step S103 is skipped.

Lastly, the reconstructing unit 104 reconstructs the X component of thelast position information by debinarizing the binary signal of the Xcomponent which includes both the prefix part and the suffix part orwhich includes the prefix part only (S104).

Consecutively decoding the prefix parts of the X component and the Ycomponent and consecutively decoding the suffix parts of the X componentand the Y component in this manner makes it possible to reduce thenumber of times the arithmetic decoding methods (context adaptive binaryarithmetic decoding and bypass decoding) are switched. This allows thearithmetic decoding unit 110 to arithmetically decode the coded lastposition information efficiently.

Furthermore, consecutively decoding the suffix parts of the X componentand the Y component makes it easier for bypass decoding to be performedin parallel, thereby increasing the processing speed.

Moreover, consecutively decoding the prefix part and the suffix part ofand the Y component eliminates the need to set the suffix flag for the Ycomponent. In other words, the capacity required of the memory can bereduced as compared to the case of decoding the prefix part of the Xcomponent, the prefix part of the Y component, the suffix part of the Xcomponent, and the suffix part of the Y component in this order.

Next, the following describes an example of the decoding process on thecoded suffix parts of the X component and the Y component (S108 andS111). Described here is the case where the suffix parts are binarizedby Golomb-Rice coding.

With the Golomb-Rice coding, the length of each suffix part is notfixed. The suffix part can be divided into two parts, the first half andthe second half.

The second half is a fixed-length part having a length indicated by arice parameter (hereinafter referred to as “RP”).

The first half can be represented by: “1” that increases in the unit ofa number representable by 2 to the RPth power (2^(RP)) (e.g., in theunit of “4” when RP is “2”); and “0” that is set at the last bitposition. More specifically, when RP is “2”, the length of the firsthalf increases by 1 bit for each unit of 2 to the RPth power as follows:0, 0, 0, 0, 10, 10, 10, 10, 110, 110, 110, 110, . . . .

It is to be noted that here, the amount of information to be representedby the suffix part is known, and thus it is possible to omit the last“0” of the first half when the first half has the maximum length. Forexample, when RP is “2” and the maximum amount of information is “12”,the first half can be represented by any one of 0, 0, 0, 0, 10, 10, 10,10, 11, 11, 11, and 11. By omitting the last “0” of the first half inthis manner, the coding amount of the binary signal can be reduced by 1bit.

The maximum amount of information can be represented by the differencebetween the length in the transform size and the length of the prefixpart. This reduces redundant bit(s).

It is sufficient as long as RP is predetermined according to thetransform size as shown in FIG. 9D or FIG. 9E, for example. This makesit possible to represent the suffix part with a binary signal having alength adapted to the transform size, and thus, the coding efficiencycan be increased.

The following describes, using FIG. 9A, operations of the seconddecoding unit 102 for decoding the suffix part binarized by Golomb-Ricecoding as described above. FIG. 9A is a flowchart showing an example ofprocessing operations of the second decoding unit 102 according toEmbodiment 1.

First, the second decoding unit 102 sets an RP value (S201). Morespecifically, the second decoding unit 102 refers to a predeterminedtable, for example, to set the RP value. The predetermined table in thiscase is a table shown in FIG. 9D or FIG. 9E, for example.

It is to be noted that the second decoding unit 102 may set the RP valuewithout referring to the table. The setting of the RP value will bedescribed later in detail using FIG. 10A to FIG. 10D.

Next, the second decoding unit 102 sets a Max value (S202). Here, theMax value indicates the maximum value of the length of the first half ofthe Golomb-Rice code. More specifically, the Max value indicates theshortest length of the binary signal that can represent a value obtainedby subtracting the maximum length of the prefix part from the maximumvalue of the last value. Thus, the second decoding unit 102 derives theMax value by (i) subtracting the length of the prefix part from themaximum value of the last value and (ii) dividing the resultant value by2 to the RPth power or performing a right shift operation on theresultant value by RP bit(s).

It is to be noted that the maximum length of the prefix part may bevaried according to the transform size as shown in FIG. 9B or FIG. 9C.

Next, the second decoding unit 102 decodes, from the bit stream BS, asignal corresponding to 1 bit of the Golomb-Rice code by bypassdecoding, and increments the count value (default is “0”) by 1 (S203).

Here, when the decoded signal corresponding to 1 bit is “0” (Yes inS204), the decoding of the first half of the Golomb-Rice code finishes,and the process proceeds to Step S206.

On the other hand, when the decoded signal is not “0” (when the decodedsignal is “1”) (No in S204), it is determined whether or not the countvalue is equal to the Max value (S205). Here, when the count value isnot equal to the Max value (No in S205), the process returns to StepS203. More specifically, the second decoding unit 102 decodes a signalcorresponding to the next 1 bit of the Golomb-Rice code by bypassdecoding.

On the other hand, when the count value is equal to the Max value (Yesin S205), the decoding of the first half of the suffix part finishes,and the process proceeds to Step S206.

Next, the second decoding unit 102 decodes the second half of theGolomb-Rice code (a binary signal having a fixed length of RP bit(s)) bybypass decoding (S206).

Lastly, the second decoding unit 102 reconstructs the value representedby Golomb-Rice coding (S207). Here, the value is reconstructed by addingup the second half of the Golomb-Rice code and a value obtained byshifting, to the left by the RP bit(s), a value obtained by subtracting1 from the value represented by the first half of the Golomb-Rice code.

It is to be noted that in some cases the value of the binary signal ofthe second half is binarized in the form of a reversed value. In suchcases, the second decoding unit 102 performs the reconstruction withthis reverse taken into account. It is to be noted that it is sufficientas long as the decoding apparatus and the coding apparatus determine inadvance whether or not the value of the binary signal is to be reversed.Neither the coding efficiency nor the processing load is affectedregardless of whether or not the value of the binary signal is reversed.

Next, the following describes, using FIG. 10A to FIG. 10D, a method ofdetermining the RP value and the maximum length of the prefix part.

FIG. 10A shows a method of determining the RP value and the maximumlength of the prefix part according to the transform size.

First, the second decoding unit 102 obtains the transform size (S301).Then, the second decoding unit 102 refers to a table as shown in FIG. 9Dor FIG. 9E indicating a relationship between the transform size and theRP value, to determine the RP value associated with the obtainedtransform size (S302). Furthermore, the second decoding unit 102 refersto a table as shown in FIG. 9B or FIG. 9C indicating a relationshipbetween the transform size and the maximum length of the prefix part, todetermine the maximum length of the prefix part (S303).

FIG. 10B shows a method of determining the RP value and the maximumlength of the prefix part according to prediction information.

First, the second decoding unit 102 obtains prediction information(S311). The prediction information is information related to predictionof a transform block which is a current block to be decoded. Forexample, the prediction information indicates whether the transformblock is to be decoded by intra prediction or inter prediction.Furthermore, for example, the prediction information may be informationindicating a prediction direction in intra prediction.

Next, the second decoding unit 102 determines the RP value based on theprediction information (S312). For example, it is known that in the caseof inter prediction, there are generally less high frequency componentsthan in intra prediction. Thus, when the prediction informationindicates inter prediction, it is sufficient as long as the seconddecoding unit 102 determines such an RP value that allows the Xcomponent and the Y component having small values to be represented byshort binary signals. More specifically, when the prediction informationindicates inter prediction, it is sufficient as long as the seconddecoding unit 102 determines an RP value smaller than an RP valuedetermined when the prediction information indicates intra prediction.

Furthermore, when the direction of intra prediction is the horizontaldirection, it is generally expected that the Y component of the lastposition information is smaller than the X component. In view of this,when the prediction direction of intra prediction is the horizontaldirection, it is sufficient as long as the second decoding unit 102determines, as the RP value of the Y component, an RP value smaller thanthe RP value of the X component. It is to be noted that when theprediction direction of intra prediction is the vertical direction, itis sufficient as long as the second decoding unit 102 determines, as theRP value of the X component, an RP value smaller than the RP value ofthe Y component.

Lastly, the second decoding unit 102 determines the maximum length ofthe prefix part based on the prediction information (S313).

As described above, the second decoding unit 102 can vary the codelength of the binary signal according to the prediction information, andthus, the coding efficiency can be increased.

FIG. 10C shows a method of determining the RP value and the maximumlength of the prefix part according to statistical information.

First, the second decoding unit 102 obtains statistical information(S321). The statistical information is, for example, information onstatistics of the length of the binary signal of the X component or theY component included in the last position information of a previouslydecoded block.

Next, the second decoding unit 102 determines the RP value based on thestatistical information (S322). Lastly, the second decoding unit 102determines the maximum length of the prefix part based on thestatistical information (S323).

As described above, the second decoding unit 102 can vary the codelength of the binary signal according to the statistical information,and thus, the coding efficiency can be further increased.

FIG. 10D shows a method of determining the RP value and the maximumlength of the prefix part according to a previously-decoded one of the Xcomponent and the Y component.

First, the second decoding unit 102 obtains a previously-decoded one ofthe X component and the Y component (S331). For example, the seconddecoding unit 102 obtains a previously-decoded X component when decodinga coded Y component. Furthermore, for example, the second decoding unit102 may obtain a previously-decoded Y component when decoding a coded Xcomponent.

Then, the second decoding unit 102 determines, using thepreviously-decoded one of the X component and the Y component, the RPvalue of the other, yet-to-be-decoded one of the X component and the Ycomponent (S332). Generally, it is likely that the X component and the Ycomponent have the same or similar values. Therefore, when the value ofa previously-decoded X component is smaller than a certain value (e.g.,half the transform size), for example, the second decoding unit 102determines, as the RP value of the Y component, a value smaller than theRP value of the X component.

Lastly, the second decoding unit 102 determines, using thepreviously-decoded one of the X component and the Y component, themaximum length of the prefix part of the other, yet-to-be-decoded one ofthe X component and the Y component (S333).

As described above, the second decoding unit 102 can vary the codelength of the binary signal according to a previously-decoded one of theX component and the Y component, and thus, the coding efficiency can befurther increased.

It is to be noted that the methods of determining the RP value and themaximum length of the prefix part shown in FIG. 10A to FIG. 10D may beused in combination. For example, when there is no information to referto, the second decoding unit 102 may determine the RP value based on apredetermined table, whereas when there is information to refer to, thesecond decoding unit 102 may determine the RP value according to theinformation which can be referred to.

Moreover, the second decoding unit 102 may determine the maximum lengthof the prefix part in the same manner as the RP value. It is to be notedthat when the values of the X component and the Y component arepredicted to be large, it is sufficient as long as the second decodingunit 102 determines the maximum length of the prefix part to be shorterthan when the X component and the Y component are predicted to be small.Decreasing the prefix length in this manner reduces the number ofnecessary contexts.

Next, the following describes the contexts used for decoding the lastposition information by context adaptive binary arithmetic decoding.

FIG. 11A is a diagram showing an example of a relationship between bitpositions and contexts according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 11B is a diagramshowing an example of a relationship between bit positions and contextsaccording to a comparable example.

FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B show a relationship between bit positions andcontexts for four types of transform size (4×4, 8×8, 16×16, and 32×32).In FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B, the rectangular blocks arranged in thehorizontal direction correspond to the bit positions of the 1st bit, the2nd bit, the 3rd bit and so on in sequence from the left. Furthermore,the numeric value in each block is an index value of the context usedfor deriving a probability to be used in decoding the binary symbol atthat bit position.

In FIG. 11A, there are 16 types (0 to 15) of contexts used in decodingthe prefix part. Furthermore, in FIG. 11A, the maximum length of theprefix part is “3”, “4”, “4”, and “8” for the transform size 4×4, 8×8,16×16, and 32×32, respectively.

As for FIG. 11A, when the transform size is 8×8, for example, aprobability value derived from the context identified by an index value“3” is used as the probability value for decoding the binary symbol ofthe 1st bit of the prefix part. Similarly, a probability value derivedfrom the context identified by an index value “4” is used as theprobability value for decoding the binary symbols of the 2nd bit and the3rd bit. Similarly, a probability value derived from the contextidentified by an index value “5” is used as the probability value fordecoding the binary symbol of the 4th bit.

In such a manner, as for FIG. 11A, the binary symbol at the last bitposition of the prefix part is arithmetically decoded using a contextexclusive to the last bit position. In other words, the context for thelast bit position is a context different from the contexts for the otherbit positions.

The binary symbol at the last bit position of the prefix part indicateswhether or not the binary signal of the X component or the Y componentincludes the suffix part. This means that the binary symbol at the lastbit position of the prefix part has a large influence on the codingefficiency. Thus, the binary symbol at the last bit position of theprefix part has a feature in symbol occurrence different from that ofthe binary symbols at the other bit positions. In view of this, thecoding efficiency can be increased by decoding the binary symbol at thelast bit position of the prefix part using the context exclusive to thelast bit position.

Furthermore, a context may be common to a plurality of bit positions,such as the bit positions of the 2nd bit and the 3rd bit for thetransform size 8×8 or the bit positions of the 5th bit to the 7th bitfor the transform size 32×32 in FIG. 11A. In other words, each of thebinary symbols at two or more bit positions other than the last bitposition of the prefix part may be arithmetically decoded using acontext common to the two or more bit positions.

This reduces the number of contexts as compared to the case of using adifferent context for each bit position, and thus the capacity requiredof the memory can be reduced.

It is to be noted that although, in FIG. 11A, the binary symbol at thelast bit position of the prefix part is decoded using the contextexclusive to the last bit position for all the predetermined transformsizes, the binary symbol at the last bit position need not necessarilybe decoded in this manner for all the transform sizes. In other words, acontext may be common to the last bit position and another bit positionof the prefix part for some of the transform sizes.

For example, when the suffix part has a fixed length of 1 bit, a contextmay be common to the last bit position of the prefix part and a bitposition immediately preceding the last bit position.

This enables stable estimation of the probability even when the bitstream includes few prefix parts having the predetermined maximumlength, for example. For example, the coding efficiency can be increasedin the case where the last position is dynamically changed with the codelength taken into account at the time of coding.

As described thus far, the image decoding apparatus 100 according to thepresent embodiment can arithmetically decode the binary symbol at thelast bit position of the first signal using the context exclusive to thelast bit position. That is to say, the image decoding apparatus 100 canarithmetically decode the last position information using a contextappropriately switched among a plurality of contexts, and thus, thecoding efficiency can be increased.

It is to be noted that the RP values and the maximum lengths of theprefix part shown in FIG. 9B to FIG. 9E are mere examples, and there maybe different RP values and different maximum lengths of the prefix part.For example, the maximum length of the prefix part may be shorter andthe suffix part may be longer. This further enables parallel arithmeticdecoding and further increases the speed of arithmetic decoding.

It is to be noted that each of the structural elements in the presentembodiment may be configured in the form of an exclusive hardwareproduct, or may be implemented by executing a software program suitablefor the structural element. Each structural element may be implementedby means of a program executing unit, such as a CPU or a processor,reading and executing the software program recorded on a recordingmedium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory. Here, the softwareprogram for implementing the image decoding apparatus according to thepresent embodiment is a program described below.

This program causes a computer to execute an image decoding method fordecoding last position information indicating a position of a lastnon-zero coefficient in a predetermined order in a current block to bedecoded, the image decoding method including: first decoding forarithmetically decoding each of binary symbols included in a firstsignal using a context switched among a plurality of contexts accordingto a bit position of the binary symbol, the first signal being includedin a binary signal of the last position information and having a lengthsmaller than or equal to a predetermined maximum length; and seconddecoding for, when the binary signal of the last position informationincludes a second signal, arithmetically decoding the second signalusing a fixed probability, wherein in the first decoding, a binarysymbol at a last bit position of the first signal is arithmeticallydecoded using a context exclusive to the last bit position, when thefirst signal has the predetermined maximum length.

Variation of Embodiment 1

The image decoding apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 may beincluded in an image decoding apparatus below. FIG. 12 is a blockdiagram showing an example of a configuration of an image decodingapparatus 200 according to a variation of Embodiment 1.

The image decoding apparatus 200 decodes coded image data generated bycompression coding. For example, the image decoding apparatus 200receives coded image data on a block-by-block basis as a current signalto be decoded. The image decoding apparatus 200 performs variable-lengthdecoding, inverse quantization, and inverse transform on the receivedcurrent signal to reconstruct image data.

As shown in FIG. 12, the image decoding apparatus 200 includes anentropy decoding unit 210, an inverse quantization and inverse transformunit 220, an adder 225, a deblocking filter 230, a memory 240, an intraprediction unit 250, a motion compensation unit 260, and an intra/interswitch 270.

The entropy decoding unit 210 performs variable-length decoding on aninput signal (bit stream) to reconstruct quantized coefficients. Here,the input signal is a current signal to be decoded and corresponds todata on a block-by-block basis of the coded image data. The coded imagedata includes the coded last position information. Furthermore, theentropy decoding unit 210 obtains motion data from the input signal andoutputs the motion data to the motion compensation unit 260.

It is to be noted that the image decoding apparatus 100 according toEmbodiment 1 corresponds to part of the entropy decoding unit 210. Thatis to say, the entropy decoding unit 210 decodes the coded last positioninformation.

The inverse quantization and inverse transform unit 220 performs inversequantization on the quantized coefficients reconstructed by the entropydecoding unit 210, to reconstruct transform coefficients. Then, theinverse quantization and inverse transform unit 220 performs inversetransform on the transform coefficients to reconstruct a predictionerror.

The adder 225 adds the prediction error and a prediction signal togenerate a decoded image.

The deblocking filter 230 applies a deblocking filter to the decodedimage. The resultant decoded image is outputted as a decoded signal.

The memory 240 is a memory for storing a reference image used in motioncompensation. More specifically, the memory 240 stores the decoded imageto which the deblocking filter has been applied.

The intra prediction unit 250 performs intra prediction to generate aprediction signal (intra prediction signal). More specifically, theintra prediction unit 250 generates an intra prediction signal byperforming intra prediction by reference to an image neighboring thecurrent block to be decoded (input signal) in the decoded imagegenerated by the adder 225.

The motion compensation unit 260 performs motion compensation based onthe motion data outputted by the entropy decoding unit 210, to generatea prediction signal (inter prediction signal).

The intra/inter switch 270 selects either the intra prediction signal orthe inter prediction signal, and outputs the selected signal to theadder 225 as the prediction signal.

With the above configuration, the image decoding apparatus 200 decodesthe coded image data generated by compression coding.

Embodiment 2

The following describes an image coding apparatus according toEmbodiment 2 using the drawings.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of animage coding apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 2. The image codingapparatus 300 codes the last position information. The image codingapparatus 300 includes a binarizing unit 310 and an arithmetic codingunit 320. The arithmetic coding unit 320 includes a first coding unit321, a second coding unit 322, and a coding control unit 323.

The binarizing unit 310 binarizes the last position information togenerate (i) a binary signal which includes the first signal having alength smaller than or equal to the predetermined maximum length anddoes not include the second signal or (ii) a binary signal whichincludes the first signal having the predetermined maximum length andthe second signal.

The first signal is a signal arithmetically coded using a contextswitched among a plurality of contexts. The first signal corresponds tothe prefix part, for example.

The second signal is a signal arithmetically coded using a fixedprobability. The second signal corresponds to the suffix part, forexample.

The first coding unit 321 arithmetically codes each of binary symbolsincluded in the first signal, using a context switched among a pluralityof contexts according to the bit position of the binary symbol. In otherwords, the first coding unit 321 codes the first signal by contextadaptive binary arithmetic coding.

Here, when the first signal has the predetermined maximum length, thefirst coding unit 321 arithmetically codes the binary symbol at the lastbit position of the first signal using a context exclusive to the lastbit position. In other words, the first coding unit 321 arithmeticallycodes the binary symbol at the last bit position of the first signalhaving the predetermined maximum length, using a context different fromcontexts used for binary symbols at bit positions other than the lastbit position.

The second coding unit 322 arithmetically codes the second signal usinga fixed probability when the binary signal includes the second signal.In other words, the second coding unit 322 codes the second signal bybypass coding.

Next, using FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B, the following describes operations ofthe image coding apparatus 300 having the above configuration. Describedhereinafter is the case where the first signal is the prefix part andthe second signal is the suffix part. It is to be noted that the suffixflag is assumed to be set “OFF” as the default value.

FIG. 14A is a flowchart showing an example of processing operations ofthe image coding apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 2. To be morespecific, FIG. 14A shows a coding method for generating a bit streamwhich is decodable by the decoding method shown in FIG. 8A.

First, the binarizing unit 310 binarizes each of the X component and theY component of the last position information (S401). More specifically,the binarizing unit 310 binarizes each of the X component and the Ycomponent (last values) as shown in FIG. 15, for example. Here, thesuffix part is binarized by Golomb-Rice coding.

Next, the first coding unit 321 codes, by context adaptive binaryarithmetic coding, the prefix part of the X component included in thelast position information (S402).

Context adaptive binary arithmetic coding is coding corresponding tocontext adaptive binary arithmetic decoding shown in FIG. 4. Withcontext adaptive binary arithmetic coding, contexts are switchedaccording to a condition, and a probability of symbol occurrencecorresponding to the context switched to is obtained. Then, a binarysymbol is arithmetically coded using the obtained probability of symboloccurrence. Furthermore, the probability value corresponding to thecontext is updated according to the coded binary symbol value (see NonPatent Literature 1).

Here, as in Embodiment 1, when the prefix part has the predeterminedmaximum length, the first coding unit 321 arithmetically codes thebinary symbol at the last bit position of the prefix part using acontext exclusive to the last bit position.

It is to be noted that the first coding unit 321 may arithmetically codeeach of binary symbols at two or more bit positions other than the lastbit position of the prefix part using a context common to the two ormore bit positions. This allows the first coding unit 321 to reduce thenumber of contexts as compared to the case of using a different contextfor each bit position, and thus, the capacity required of the memory canbe reduced.

Next, the first coding unit 321 determines whether or not the binarysignal of the X component includes the suffix part (S403). Morespecifically, the first coding unit 321 determines whether or not thebinary signal of the X component includes the suffix part in the samemanner as in Step S102 in FIG. 8A.

Here, when the binary signal of the X component includes the suffix part(Yes in S403), the second coding unit 322 codes the suffix part of the Xcomponent by bypass coding (S404). On the other hand, when the binarysignal of the X component does not include the suffix part (No in S403),Step S404 is skipped.

Next, the first coding unit 321 codes the prefix part of the Y componentby context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (S405). Here, the firstcoding unit 321 codes the prefix part of the Y component in the samemanner as in Step S402.

Then, the first coding unit 321 determines whether or not the binarysignal of the Y component includes the suffix part (S406). Here, thefirst coding unit 321 determines whether or not the binary signal of theY component includes the suffix part in the same manner as in Step S403.

Here, when the binary signal of the Y component includes the suffix part(Yes in S406), the second coding unit 322 codes the suffix part of the Ycomponent by bypass coding (S407). On the other hand, when the binarysignal of the Y component does not include the suffix part (No in S406),Step S407 is skipped.

This is the manner in which the last position information is coded.

Next, the following describes the case where the prefix part and thesuffix part of each component are coded in an order different from thatin FIG. 14A.

FIG. 14B is a flowchart showing another example of processing operationsof the image coding apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 2. To be morespecific, FIG. 14B shows a coding method for generating a bit streamwhich is decodable by the decoding method shown in FIG. 8B. It is to benoted that in FIG. 14B, the processes performed in steps denoted by thesame reference signs as those in FIG. 14A are basically the same as theprocesses described in FIG. 14A.

First, the binarizing unit 310 binarizes each of the X component and theY component of the last position information (S401). Next, the firstcoding unit 321 codes, by context adaptive binary arithmetic coding, theprefix part of the X component included in the last position information(S402). Next, the first coding unit 321 determines whether or not thebinary signal of the X component includes the suffix part (S403).

Here, when the binary signal of the X component includes the suffix part(Yes in S403), the first coding unit 321 sets the suffix flag “ON”(S411). On the other hand, when the binary signal of the X componentdoes not include the suffix part (No in S403), the first coding unit 321does not set the suffix flag of the X component “ON”. In other words,the suffix flag of the X component remains “OFF”. It is to be noted thatthe first coding unit 321 may set the suffix flag of the X component“OFF” here.

Next, from Step S405 to Step S407, a process related to the Y componentis performed in the same manner as in FIG. 14A.

After that, the second coding unit 322 determines whether or not thesuffix flag is set “ON” (S412). Here, when the suffix flag is set “ON”(Yes in S412), the second coding unit 322 codes the suffix part of the Xcomponent by bypass coding (5404). On the other hand, when the suffixflag is not set “ON” (No in S412), Step S404 is skipped.

By consecutively coding the prefix part and the suffix part of the Ycomponent in the above-described manner, it is possible to code thebinary signal of the Y component without holding, in a memory,information indicating whether or not the binary signal of the Ycomponent includes the suffix part (e.g., the suffix flag of the Ycomponent). This reduces the capacity required of the memory.

Next, using FIG. 15, the following briefly describes a method of codingthe prefix part and the suffix part included in the last positioninformation.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of binary signals of the lastposition information when the block size is 16×16. In FIG. 15, themaximum length of the prefix part is “4” and RP is “2”.

When the prefix part is shorter than the maximum length of the prefixpart, the first coding unit 321 codes, by context adaptive binaryarithmetic coding, as many “0” as the number indicated by the value ofthe X component. Lastly, the first coding unit 321 codes “1” by contextadaptive binary arithmetic coding. In this case, the binary signal ofthe X component does not include the suffix part, and thus the coding ofthe X component finishes here.

On the other hand, when the prefix part is longer than the maximumlength of the prefix part, the first coding unit 321 codes, by contextadaptive binary arithmetic coding, as many “0” as the number of themaximum length.

Next, the second coding unit 322 codes the first half of the suffixpart. More specifically, the second coding unit 322 adds “1” to thefirst half in the unit of the number representable by 2 to the RPthpower (e.g., in the unit of “4” when RP is “2”), codes the resultantvalue, and lastly codes “0”.

That is to say, when the value of the X component is greater than orequal to 4 and less than 8, the second coding unit 322 only codes “0” asthe first half. When the value of the X component is greater than orequal to 8 and less than 12, the second coding unit 322 codes “10” asthe first half. When the value of the X component is greater than orequal to 12 and less than 16, the second coding unit 322 codes “110” asthe first half.

It is to be noted that in the example of FIG. 15, the amount ofinformation to be represented by the suffix part is “12” (16−4=12), andthus, when the value of the X component is greater than or equal to 12and less than 16, instead of coding “110” as the first half, “11” whichis obtained by omitting the last “0” of “110” is coded. This reduces thecode length.

Next, the second coding unit 322 codes the second half of the suffixpart. The second half is a fixed-length part having a length indicatedby the RP value. In the example of FIG. 15, the second half indicates avalue which is obtained by binarizing a number among the numbers up to 2to the RPth power and outputting the resultant value from the number onthe left to the number on the right. More specifically, the second halfindicates a value obtained by binarizing 0, 1, 2, or 3. This is a mereexample, and the coding efficiency is not affected in particular as longas there is consistency between the method used by the coding apparatusand the method used by the decoding apparatus.

As described above, the image coding apparatus 300 according to thepresent embodiment can arithmetically code the binary symbol at the lastbit position of the first signal using the context exclusive to the lastbit position when the first signal has the predetermined maximum length.The binary symbol at the last bit position of the first signal indicateswhether or not the binary signal includes the second signal. This meansthat the binary symbol at the last bit position of the first signal hasa large influence on the coding efficiency. Thus, the binary symbol atthe last bit position of the first signal has a feature in symboloccurrence different from that of the binary symbols at the other bitpositions. In view of this, the image coding apparatus 300 can increasethe coding efficiency by arithmetically coding the binary symbol at thelast bit position of the first signal using the context exclusive to thelast bit position.

It is to be noted that each of the structural elements in the presentembodiment may be configured in the form of an exclusive hardwareproduct, or may be implemented by executing a software program suitablefor the structural element. Each structural element may be implementedby means of a program executing unit, such as a CPU or a processor,reading and executing the software program recorded on a recordingmedium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory. Here, the softwareprogram for implementing the image coding apparatus according to thepresent embodiment is a program described below.

This program causes a computer to execute an image coding method forcoding last position information indicating a position of a lastnon-zero coefficient in a predetermined order in a current block to becoded, the image coding method including: binarizing the last positioninformation to generate (i) a binary signal which includes a firstsignal having a length smaller than or equal to a predetermined maximumlength and does not include a second signal or (ii) a binary signalwhich includes the first signal having the predetermined maximum lengthand the second signal; first coding for arithmetically coding each ofbinary symbols included in the first signal using a context switchedamong a plurality of contexts according to a bit position of the binarysymbol; and second coding for arithmetically coding the second signalusing a fixed probability when the binary signal includes the secondsignal, wherein in the first coding, a binary symbol at a last bitposition of the first signal is arithmetically coded using a contextexclusive to the last bit position, when the first signal has thepredetermined maximum length.

Variation of Embodiment 2

The image coding apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 2 may be includedin an image coding apparatus below. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showingan example of a configuration of an image coding apparatus 400 accordingto a variation of Embodiment 2.

The image coding apparatus 400 performs compression coding on imagedata. For example, the image coding apparatus 400 receives the imagedata on a block-by-block basis as an input signal. The image codingapparatus 400 performs transform, quantization, and variable-lengthcoding on the input signal to generate a coded signal (bit stream).

As shown in FIG. 16, the image coding apparatus 400 includes asubtractor 405, a transform and quantization unit 410, an entropy codingunit 420, an inverse quantization and inverse transform unit 430, anadder 435, a deblocking filter 440, a memory 450, an intra predictionunit 460, a motion estimation unit 470, a motion compensation unit 480,and an intra/inter switch 490.

The subtractor 405 calculates a difference between the input signal andthe prediction signal as a prediction error.

The transform and quantization unit 410 transforms the prediction errorin the spatial domain to generate transform coefficients in thefrequency domain. For example, the transform and quantization unit 410performs discrete cosine transform (DCT) on the prediction error togenerate the transform coefficients. Furthermore, the transform andquantization unit 410 quantizes the transform coefficients to generatequantized coefficients.

The entropy coding unit 420 performs variable-length coding on thequantized coefficients to generate a coded signal. Furthermore, theentropy coding unit 420 codes motion data (e.g., motion vector) detectedby the motion estimation unit 470, to output the coded signal with themotion data included therein.

It is to be noted that the image coding apparatus 300 according toEmbodiment 2 corresponds to part of the entropy coding unit 420. That isto say, the entropy coding unit 420 codes the last position information.

The inverse quantization and inverse transform unit 430 performs inversequantization on the quantized coefficients to reconstruct transformcoefficients. Furthermore, the inverse quantization and inversetransform unit 430 performs inverse transform on the reconstructedtransform coefficients to reconstruct a prediction error. It is to benoted that the reconstructed prediction error lacks information due tothe quantization and thus is not the same as the prediction errorgenerated by the subtractor 405. In other words, the reconstructedprediction error contains a quantization error.

The adder 435 adds up the reconstructed prediction error and aprediction signal to generate a local decoded image.

The deblocking filter 440 applies a deblocking filter to the localdecoded image.

The memory 450 is a memory for storing a reference image used in motioncompensation. More specifically, the memory 450 stores the local decodedimage to which the deblocking filter has been applied.

The intra prediction unit 460 performs intra prediction to generate aprediction signal (intra prediction signal). More specifically, theintra prediction unit 460 generates an intra prediction signal byperforming intra prediction by reference to an image neighboring thecurrent block to be coded (input signal) in the local decoded imagegenerated by the adder 435.

The motion estimation unit 470 detects motion data (e.g., motion vector)between the input signal and the reference image stored in the memory450.

The motion compensation unit 480 performs motion compensation based onthe motion data to generate a prediction signal (inter predictionsignal).

The intra/inter switch 490 selects either the intra prediction signal orthe inter prediction signal, and outputs the selected signal to thesubtractor 405 and the adder 435 as the prediction signal.

With the above configuration, the image coding apparatus 400 performscompression coding on the image data.

Although only some exemplary embodiments have been described above, thescope of the Claims of the present application is not limited to theseembodiments. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate thatvarious modifications may be made in these exemplary embodiments andthat other embodiments may be obtained by arbitrarily combining thestructural elements of the embodiments without materially departing fromthe novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in theappended Claims. Accordingly, all such modifications and otherembodiments are included in the present disclosure.

Furthermore, although the suffix part is binarized by Golomb-Rice codingin each embodiment above, the suffix part may be binarized with adifferent method. For example, the suffix part may be binarized with afixed length as shown in FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D.

Moreover, the method of binarizing the X component and the Y componentin each embodiment above is a mere example, and they may be binarizedwith a different binarizing method. For example, in FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D,the last value may be binarized with “0” and “1” reversed. Morespecifically, in FIG. 3B, the last value “3” may be binarized into“1110”, for example.

Furthermore, the configuration of the image decoding apparatus or theimage coding apparatus according to each embodiment described above is amere example. The image decoding apparatus or the image coding apparatusneed not include all the structural elements shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 13.Moreover, the flowchart showing the image decoding method or the imagecoding method according to each embodiment described above is also amere example, and all the steps need not necessarily be performed.

For example, when the last position information is represented by onevalue (e.g., scan order), the process for one of the X component and theY component need not be performed. For example, in FIG. 8A, it issufficient as long as Step S101 and Step S103 are at least performed. Inthis case, the image decoding apparatus 100 need not include thedecoding control unit 103 nor the reconstructing unit 104. Furthermore,in FIG. 14A, it is sufficient as long as Step S401, Step S402, and StepS404 are at least performed. In this case, the image coding apparatus300 need not include the coding control unit 323.

Even in such cases, the coding efficiency can be increased byarithmetically decoding or arithmetically coding the binary symbol atthe last bit position of the first signal using the context exclusive tothe last bit position.

Embodiment 3

The processing described in each of embodiments can be simplyimplemented in an independent computer system, by recording, in arecording medium, a program for implementing the configurations of themoving picture coding method (image coding method) and the movingpicture decoding method (image decoding method) described in each ofembodiments. The recording media may be any recording media as long asthe program can be recorded, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, amagnetic optical disk, an IC card, and a semiconductor memory.

Hereinafter, the applications to the moving picture coding method (imagecoding method) and the moving picture decoding method (image decodingmethod) described in each of embodiments and systems using thereof willbe described. The system has a feature of having an image coding anddecoding apparatus that includes an image coding apparatus using theimage coding method and an image decoding apparatus using the imagedecoding method. Other configurations in the system can be changed asappropriate depending on the cases.

FIG. 17 illustrates an overall configuration of a content providingsystem ex100 for implementing content distribution services. The areafor providing communication services is divided into cells of desiredsize, and base stations ex106, ex107, ex108, ex109, and ex110 which arefixed wireless stations are placed in each of the cells.

The content providing system ex100 is connected to devices, such as acomputer ex111, a personal digital assistant (PDA) ex112, a cameraex113, a cellular phone ex114 and a game machine ex115, via the Internetex101, an Internet service provider ex102, a telephone network ex104, aswell as the base stations ex106 to ex110, respectively.

However, the configuration of the content providing system ex100 is notlimited to the configuration shown in FIG. 17, and a combination inwhich any of the elements are connected is acceptable. In addition, eachdevice may be directly connected to the telephone network ex104, ratherthan via the base stations ex106 to ex110 which are the fixed wirelessstations. Furthermore, the devices may be interconnected to each othervia a short distance wireless communication and others.

The camera ex113, such as a digital video camera, is capable ofcapturing video. A camera ex116, such as a digital camera, is capable ofcapturing both still images and video. Furthermore, the cellular phoneex114 may be the one that meets any of the standards such as GlobalSystem for Mobile Communications (GSM) (registered trademark), CodeDivision Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access(W-CDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and High Speed Packet Access(HSPA). Alternatively, the cellular phone ex114 may be a PersonalHandyphone System (PHS).

In the content providing system ex100, a streaming server ex103 isconnected to the camera ex113 and others via the telephone network ex104and the base station ex109, which enables distribution of images of alive show and others. In such a distribution, a content (for example,video of a music live show) captured by the user using the camera ex113is coded as described above in each of embodiments (i.e., the camerafunctions as the image coding apparatus according to an aspect of thepresent disclosure), and the coded content is transmitted to thestreaming server ex103. On the other hand, the streaming server ex103carries out stream distribution of the transmitted content data to theclients upon their requests. The clients include the computer exill, thePDA ex112, the camera ex113, the cellular phone ex114, and the gamemachine ex115 that are capable of decoding the above-mentioned codeddata. Each of the devices that have received the distributed datadecodes and reproduces the coded data (i.e., functions as the imagedecoding apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure).

The captured data may be coded by the camera ex113 or the streamingserver ex103 that transmits the data, or the coding processes may beshared between the camera ex113 and the streaming server ex103.Similarly, the distributed data may be decoded by the clients or thestreaming server ex103, or the decoding processes may be shared betweenthe clients and the streaming server ex103. Furthermore, the data of thestill images and video captured by not only the camera ex113 but alsothe camera ex116 may be transmitted to the streaming server ex103through the computer ex111. The coding processes may be performed by thecamera ex116, the computer ex111, or the streaming server ex103, orshared among them.

Furthermore, the coding and decoding processes may be performed by anLSI ex500 generally included in each of the computer ex111 and thedevices. The LSI ex500 may be configured of a single chip or a pluralityof chips. Software for coding and decoding video may be integrated intosome type of a recording medium (such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk, anda hard disk) that is readable by the computer ex111 and others, and thecoding and decoding processes may be performed using the software.Furthermore, when the cellular phone ex114 is equipped with a camera,the video data obtained by the camera may be transmitted. The video datais data coded by the LSI ex500 included in the cellular phone ex114.

Furthermore, the streaming server ex103 may be composed of servers andcomputers, and may decentralize data and process the decentralized data,record, or distribute data.

As described above, the clients may receive and reproduce the coded datain the content providing system ex100. In other words, the clients canreceive and decode information transmitted by the user, and reproducethe decoded data in real time in the content providing system ex100, sothat the user who does not have any particular right and equipment canimplement personal broadcasting.

Aside from the example of the content providing system ex100, at leastone of the moving picture coding apparatus (image coding apparatus) andthe moving picture decoding apparatus (image decoding apparatus)described in each of embodiments may be implemented in a digitalbroadcasting system ex200 illustrated in FIG. 18. More specifically, abroadcast station ex201 communicates or transmits, via radio waves to abroadcast satellite ex202, multiplexed data obtained by multiplexingaudio data and others onto video data. The video data is data coded bythe moving picture coding method described in each of embodiments (i.e.,data coded by the image coding apparatus according to an aspect of thepresent disclosure). Upon receipt of the multiplexed data, the broadcastsatellite ex202 transmits radio waves for broadcasting. Then, a home-useantenna ex204 with a satellite broadcast reception function receives theradio waves. Next, a device such as a television (receiver) ex300 and aset top box (STB) ex217 decodes the received multiplexed data, andreproduces the decoded data (i.e., functions as the image decodingapparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure).

Furthermore, a reader/recorder ex218 (i) reads and decodes themultiplexed data recorded on a recording medium ex215, such as a DVD anda BD, or (i) codes video signals in the recording medium ex215, and insome cases, writes data obtained by multiplexing an audio signal on thecoded data. The reader/recorder ex218 can include the moving picturedecoding apparatus or the moving picture coding apparatus as shown ineach of embodiments. In this case, the reproduced video signals aredisplayed on the monitor ex219, and can be reproduced by another deviceor system using the recording medium ex215 on which the multiplexed datais recorded. It is also possible to implement the moving picturedecoding apparatus in the set top box ex217 connected to the cable ex203for a cable television or to the antenna ex204 for satellite and/orterrestrial broadcasting, so as to display the video signals on themonitor ex219 of the television ex300. The moving picture decodingapparatus may be implemented not in the set top box but in thetelevision ex300.

FIG. 19 illustrates the television (receiver) ex300 that uses the movingpicture coding method and the moving picture decoding method describedin each of embodiments. The television ex300 includes: a tuner ex301that obtains or provides multiplexed data obtained by multiplexing audiodata onto video data, through the antenna ex204 or the cable ex203, etc.that receives a broadcast; a modulation/demodulation unit ex302 thatdemodulates the received multiplexed data or modulates data intomultiplexed data to be supplied outside; and amultiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex303 that demultiplexes the modulatedmultiplexed data into video data and audio data, or multiplexes videodata and audio data coded by a signal processing unit ex306 into data.

The television ex300 further includes: a signal processing unit ex306including an audio signal processing unit ex304 and a video signalprocessing unit ex305 that decode audio data and video data and codeaudio data and video data, respectively (which function as the imagecoding apparatus and the image decoding apparatus according to theaspects of the present disclosure); and an output unit ex309 including aspeaker ex307 that provides the decoded audio signal, and a display unitex308 that displays the decoded video signal, such as a display.Furthermore, the television ex300 includes an interface unit ex317including an operation input unit ex312 that receives an input of a useroperation. Furthermore, the television ex300 includes a control unitex310 that controls overall each constituent element of the televisionex300, and a power supply circuit unit ex311 that supplies power to eachof the elements. Other than the operation input unit ex312, theinterface unit ex317 may include: a bridge ex313 that is connected to anexternal device, such as the reader/recorder ex218; a slot unit ex314for enabling attachment of the recording medium ex216, such as an SDcard; a driver ex315 to be connected to an external recording medium,such as a hard disk; and a modem ex316 to be connected to a telephonenetwork. Here, the recording medium ex216 can electrically recordinformation using a non-volatile/volatile semiconductor memory elementfor storage. The constituent elements of the television ex300 areconnected to each other through a synchronous bus.

First, the configuration in which the television ex300 decodesmultiplexed data obtained from outside through the antenna ex204 andothers and reproduces the decoded data will be described. In thetelevision ex300, upon a user operation through a remote controllerex220 and others, the multiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex303demultiplexes the multiplexed data demodulated by themodulation/demodulation unit ex302, under control of the control unitex310 including a CPU. Furthermore, the audio signal processing unitex304 decodes the demultiplexed audio data, and the video signalprocessing unit ex305 decodes the demultiplexed video data, using thedecoding method described in each of embodiments, in the televisionex300. The output unit ex309 provides the decoded video signal and audiosignal outside, respectively. When the output unit ex309 provides thevideo signal and the audio signal, the signals may be temporarily storedin buffers ex318 and ex319, and others so that the signals arereproduced in synchronization with each other. Furthermore, thetelevision ex300 may read multiplexed data not through a broadcast andothers but from the recording media ex215 and ex216, such as a magneticdisk, an optical disk, and a SD card. Next, a configuration in which thetelevision ex300 codes an audio signal and a video signal, and transmitsthe data outside or writes the data on a recording medium will bedescribed. In the television ex300, upon a user operation through theremote controller ex220 and others, the audio signal processing unitex304 codes an audio signal, and the video signal processing unit ex305codes a video signal, under control of the control unit ex310 using thecoding method described in each of embodiments. Themultiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex303 multiplexes the coded videosignal and audio signal, and provides the resulting signal outside. Whenthe multiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex303 multiplexes the video signaland the audio signal, the signals may be temporarily stored in thebuffers ex320 and ex321, and others so that the signals are reproducedin synchronization with each other. Here, the buffers ex318, ex319,ex320, and ex321 may be plural as illustrated, or at least one buffermay be shared in the television ex300. Furthermore, data may be storedin a buffer so that the system overflow and underflow may be avoidedbetween the modulation/demodulation unit ex302 and themultiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex303, for example.

Furthermore, the television ex300 may include a configuration forreceiving an AV input from a microphone or a camera other than theconfiguration for obtaining audio and video data from a broadcast or arecording medium, and may code the obtained data. Although thetelevision ex300 can code, multiplex, and provide outside data in thedescription, it may be capable of only receiving, decoding, andproviding outside data but not the coding, multiplexing, and providingoutside data.

Furthermore, when the reader/recorder ex218 reads or writes multiplexeddata from or on a recording medium, one of the television ex300 and thereader/recorder ex218 may decode or code the multiplexed data, and thetelevision ex300 and the reader/recorder ex218 may share the decoding orcoding.

As an example, FIG. 20 illustrates a configuration of an informationreproducing/recording unit ex400 when data is read or written from or onan optical disk. The information reproducing/recording unit ex400includes constituent elements ex401, ex402, ex403, ex404, ex405, ex406,and ex407 to be described hereinafter. The optical head ex401 irradiatesa laser spot in a recording surface of the recording medium ex215 thatis an optical disk to write information, and detects reflected lightfrom the recording surface of the recording medium ex215 to read theinformation. The modulation recording unit ex402 electrically drives asemiconductor laser included in the optical head ex401, and modulatesthe laser light according to recorded data. The reproductiondemodulating unit ex403 amplifies a reproduction signal obtained byelectrically detecting the reflected light from the recording surfaceusing a photo detector included in the optical head ex401, anddemodulates the reproduction signal by separating a signal componentrecorded on the recording medium ex215 to reproduce the necessaryinformation. The buffer ex404 temporarily holds the information to berecorded on the recording medium ex215 and the information reproducedfrom the recording medium ex215. The disk motor ex405 rotates therecording medium ex215. The servo control unit ex406 moves the opticalhead ex401 to a predetermined information track while controlling therotation drive of the disk motor ex405 so as to follow the laser spot.The system control unit ex407 controls overall the informationreproducing/recording unit ex400. The reading and writing processes canbe implemented by the system control unit ex407 using variousinformation stored in the buffer ex404 and generating and adding newinformation as necessary, and by the modulation recording unit ex402,the reproduction demodulating unit ex403, and the servo control unitex406 that record and reproduce information through the optical headex401 while being operated in a coordinated manner. The system controlunit ex407 includes, for example, a microprocessor, and executesprocessing by causing a computer to execute a program for read andwrite.

Although the optical head ex401 irradiates a laser spot in thedescription, it may perform high-density recording using near fieldlight.

FIG. 21 illustrates the recording medium ex215 that is the optical disk.On the recording surface of the recording medium ex215, guide groovesare spirally formed, and an information track ex230 records, in advance,address information indicating an absolute position on the diskaccording to change in a shape of the guide grooves. The addressinformation includes information for determining positions of recordingblocks ex231 that are a unit for recording data. Reproducing theinformation track ex230 and reading the address information in anapparatus that records and reproduces data can lead to determination ofthe positions of the recording blocks. Furthermore, the recording mediumex215 includes a data recording area ex233, an inner circumference areaex232, and an outer circumference area ex234. The data recording areaex233 is an area for use in recording the user data. The innercircumference area ex232 and the outer circumference area ex234 that areinside and outside of the data recording area ex233, respectively arefor specific use except for recording the user data. The informationreproducing/recording unit 400 reads and writes coded audio, coded videodata, or multiplexed data obtained by multiplexing the coded audio andvideo data, from and on the data recording area ex233 of the recordingmedium ex215.

Although an optical disk having a layer, such as a DVD and a BD isdescribed as an example in the description, the optical disk is notlimited to such, and may be an optical disk having a multilayerstructure and capable of being recorded on a part other than thesurface. Furthermore, the optical disk may have a structure formultidimensional recording/reproduction, such as recording ofinformation using light of colors with different wavelengths in the sameportion of the optical disk and for recording information havingdifferent layers from various angles.

Furthermore, a car ex210 having an antenna ex205 can receive data fromthe satellite ex202 and others, and reproduce video on a display devicesuch as a car navigation system ex211 set in the car ex210, in thedigital broadcasting system ex200. Here, a configuration of the carnavigation system ex211 will be a configuration, for example, includinga GPS receiving unit from the configuration illustrated in FIG. 19. Thesame will be true for the configuration of the computer ex111, thecellular phone ex114, and others.

FIG. 22A illustrates the cellular phone ex114 that uses the movingpicture coding method and the moving picture decoding method describedin embodiments. The cellular phone ex114 includes: an antenna ex350 fortransmitting and receiving radio waves through the base station ex110; acamera unit ex365 capable of capturing moving and still images; and adisplay unit ex358 such as a liquid crystal display for displaying thedata such as decoded video captured by the camera unit ex365 or receivedby the antenna ex350. The cellular phone ex114 further includes: a mainbody unit including an operation key unit ex366; an audio output unitex357 such as a speaker for output of audio; an audio input unit ex356such as a microphone for input of audio; a memory unit ex367 for storingcaptured video or still pictures, recorded audio, coded or decoded dataof the received video, the still pictures, e-mails, or others; and aslot unit ex364 that is an interface unit for a recording medium thatstores data in the same manner as the memory unit ex367.

Next, an example of a configuration of the cellular phone ex114 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 22B. In the cellular phone ex114, amain control unit ex360 designed to control overall each unit of themain body including the display unit ex358 as well as the operation keyunit ex366 is connected mutually, via a synchronous bus ex370, to apower supply circuit unit ex361, an operation input control unit ex362,a video signal processing unit ex355, a camera interface unit ex363, aliquid crystal display (LCD) control unit ex359, amodulation/demodulation unit ex352, a multiplexing/demultiplexing unitex353, an audio signal processing unit ex354, the slot unit ex364, andthe memory unit ex367.

When a call-end key or a power key is turned ON by a user's operation,the power supply circuit unit ex361 supplies the respective units withpower from a battery pack so as to activate the cell phone ex114.

In the cellular phone ex114, the audio signal processing unit ex354converts the audio signals collected by the audio input unit ex356 invoice conversation mode into digital audio signals under the control ofthe main control unit ex360 including a CPU, ROM, and RAM. Then, themodulation/demodulation unit ex352 performs spread spectrum processingon the digital audio signals, and the transmitting and receiving unitex351 performs digital-to-analog conversion and frequency conversion onthe data, so as to transmit the resulting data via the antenna ex350.Also, in the cellular phone ex114, the transmitting and receiving unitex351 amplifies the data received by the antenna ex350 in voiceconversation mode and performs frequency conversion and theanalog-to-digital conversion on the data. Then, themodulation/demodulation unit ex352 performs inverse spread spectrumprocessing on the data, and the audio signal processing unit ex354converts it into analog audio signals, so as to output them via theaudio output unit ex357.

Furthermore, when an e-mail in data communication mode is transmitted,text data of the e-mail inputted by operating the operation key unitex366 and others of the main body is sent out to the main control unitex360 via the operation input control unit ex362. The main control unitex360 causes the modulation/demodulation unit ex352 to perform spreadspectrum processing on the text data, and the transmitting and receivingunit ex351 performs the digital-to-analog conversion and the frequencyconversion on the resulting data to transmit the data to the basestation ex110 via the antenna ex350. When an e-mail is received,processing that is approximately inverse to the processing fortransmitting an e-mail is performed on the received data, and theresulting data is provided to the display unit ex358.

When video, still images, or video and audio in data communication modeis or are transmitted, the video signal processing unit ex355 compressesand codes video signals supplied from the camera unit ex365 using themoving picture coding method shown in each of embodiments (Le.,functions as the image coding apparatus according to the aspect of thepresent disclosure), and transmits the coded video data to themultiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex353. In contrast, during when thecamera unit ex365 captures video, still images, and others, the audiosignal processing unit ex354 codes audio signals collected by the audioinput unit ex356, and transmits the coded audio data to themultiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex353.

The multiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex353 multiplexes the coded videodata supplied from the video signal processing unit ex355 and the codedaudio data supplied from the audio signal processing unit ex354, using apredetermined method. Then, the modulation/demodulation unit(modulation/demodulation circuit unit) ex352 performs spread spectrumprocessing on the multiplexed data, and the transmitting and receivingunit ex351 performs digital-to-analog conversion and frequencyconversion on the data so as to transmit the resulting data via theantenna ex350.

When receiving data of a video file which is linked to a Web page andothers in data communication mode or when receiving an e-mail with videoand/or audio attached, in order to decode the multiplexed data receivedvia the antenna ex350, the multiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex353demultiplexes the multiplexed data into a video data bit stream and anaudio data bit stream, and supplies the video signal processing unitex355 with the coded video data and the audio signal processing unitex354 with the coded audio data, through the synchronous bus ex370. Thevideo signal processing unit ex355 decodes the video signal using amoving picture decoding method corresponding to the moving picturecoding method shown in each of embodiments (i.e., functions as the imagedecoding apparatus according to the aspect of the present disclosure),and then the display unit ex358 displays, for instance, the video andstill images included in the video file linked to the Web page via theLCD control unit ex359. Furthermore, the audio signal processing unitex354 decodes the audio signal, and the audio output unit ex357 providesthe audio.

Furthermore, similarly to the television ex300, a terminal such as thecellular phone ex114 probably have 3 types of implementationconfigurations including not only (i) a transmitting and receivingterminal including both a coding apparatus and a decoding apparatus, butalso (ii) a transmitting terminal including only a coding apparatus and(iii) a receiving terminal including only a decoding apparatus. Althoughthe digital broadcasting system ex200 receives and transmits themultiplexed data obtained by multiplexing audio data onto video data inthe description, the multiplexed data may be data obtained bymultiplexing not audio data but character data related to video ontovideo data, and may be not multiplexed data but video data itself.

As such, the moving picture coding method and the moving picturedecoding method in each of embodiments can be used in any of the devicesand systems described. Thus, the advantages described in each ofembodiments can be obtained.

Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to embodiments, andvarious modifications and revisions are possible without departing fromthe scope of the present disclosure.

Embodiment 4

Video data can be generated by switching, as necessary, between (i) themoving picture coding method or the moving picture coding apparatusshown in each of embodiments and (ii) a moving picture coding method ora moving picture coding apparatus in conformity with a differentstandard, such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, and VC-1.

Here, when a plurality of video data that conforms to the differentstandards is generated and is then decoded, the decoding methods need tobe selected to conform to the different standards. However, since towhich standard each of the plurality of the video data to be decodedconform cannot be detected, there is a problem that an appropriatedecoding method cannot be selected.

In order to solve the problem, multiplexed data obtained by multiplexingaudio data and others onto video data has a structure includingidentification information indicating to which standard the video dataconforms. The specific structure of the multiplexed data including thevideo data generated in the moving picture coding method and by themoving picture coding apparatus shown in each of embodiments will behereinafter described. The multiplexed data is a digital stream in theMPEG-2 Transport Stream format.

FIG. 23 illustrates a structure of the multiplexed data. As illustratedin FIG. 23, the multiplexed data can be obtained by multiplexing atleast one of a video stream, an audio stream, a presentation graphicsstream (PG), and an interactive graphics stream. The video streamrepresents primary video and secondary video of a movie, the audiostream (IG) represents a primary audio part and a secondary audio partto be mixed with the primary audio part, and the presentation graphicsstream represents subtitles of the movie. Here, the primary video isnormal video to be displayed on a screen, and the secondary video isvideo to be displayed on a smaller window in the primary video.Furthermore, the interactive graphics stream represents an interactivescreen to be generated by arranging the GUI components on a screen. Thevideo stream is coded in the moving picture coding method or by themoving picture coding apparatus shown in each of embodiments, or in amoving picture coding method or by a moving picture coding apparatus inconformity with a conventional standard, such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, andVC-1. The audio stream is coded in accordance with a standard, such asDolby-AC-3, Dolby Digital Plus, MLP, DTS, DTS-HD, and linear PCM.

Each stream included in the multiplexed data is identified by PID. Forexample, 0×1011 is allocated to the video stream to be used for video ofa movie, 0×1100 to 0×111F are allocated to the audio streams, 0×1200 to0×121F are allocated to the presentation graphics streams, 0×1400 to0×141F are allocated to the interactive graphics streams, 0×1B00 to0×1B1F are allocated to the video streams to be used for secondary videoof the movie, and 0×1A00 to 0×1A1F are allocated to the audio streams tobe used for the secondary audio to be mixed with the primary audio.

FIG. 24 schematically illustrates how data is multiplexed. First, avideo stream ex235 composed of video frames and an audio stream ex238composed of audio frames are transformed into a stream of PES packetsex236 and a stream of PES packets ex239, and further into TS packetsex237 and TS packets ex240, respectively. Similarly, data of apresentation graphics stream ex241 and data of an interactive graphicsstream ex244 are transformed into a stream of PES packets ex242 and astream of PES packets ex245, and further into TS packets ex243 and TSpackets ex246, respectively. These TS packets are multiplexed into astream to obtain multiplexed data ex247.

FIG. 25 illustrates how a video stream is stored in a stream of PESpackets in more detail. The first bar in FIG. 25 shows a video framestream in a video stream. The second bar shows the stream of PESpackets. As indicated by arrows denoted as yy1, yy2, yy3, and yy4 inFIG. 25, the video stream is divided into pictures as I pictures, Bpictures, and P pictures each of which is a video presentation unit, andthe pictures are stored in a payload of each of the PES packets. Each ofthe PES packets has a PES header, and the PES header stores aPresentation Time-Stamp (PTS) indicating a display time of the picture,and a Decoding Time-Stamp (DTS) indicating a decoding time of thepicture.

FIG. 26 illustrates a format of TS packets to be finally written on themultiplexed data. Each of the TS packets is a 188-byte fixed lengthpacket including a 4-byte TS header having information, such as a PIDfor identifying a stream and a 184-byte TS payload for storing data. ThePES packets are divided, and stored in the TS payloads, respectively.When a BD ROM is used, each of the TS packets is given a 4-byteTP_Extra_Header, thus resulting in 192-byte source packets. The sourcepackets are written on the multiplexed data. The TP_Extra_Header storesinformation such as an Arrival_Time_Stamp (ATS). The ATS shows atransfer start time at which each of the TS packets is to be transferredto a PID filter. The source packets are arranged in the multiplexed dataas shown at the bottom of FIG. 26. The numbers incrementing from thehead of the multiplexed data are called source packet numbers (SPNs).

Each of the TS packets included in the multiplexed data includes notonly streams of audio, video, subtitles and others, but also a ProgramAssociation Table (PAT), a Program Map Table (PMT), and a Program ClockReference (PCR). The PAT shows what a PID in a PMT used in themultiplexed data indicates, and a PID of the PAT itself is registered aszero. The PMT stores PIDs of the streams of video, audio, subtitles andothers included in the multiplexed data, and attribute information ofthe streams corresponding to the PIDs. The PMT also has variousdescriptors relating to the multiplexed data. The descriptors haveinformation such as copy control information showing whether copying ofthe multiplexed data is permitted or not. The PCR stores STC timeinformation corresponding to an ATS showing when the PCR packet istransferred to a decoder, in order to achieve synchronization between anArrival Time Clock (ATC) that is a time axis of ATSs, and an System TimeClock (STC) that is a time axis of PTSs and DTSs.

FIG. 27 illustrates the data structure of the PMT in detail. A PMTheader is disposed at the top of the PMT. The PMT header describes thelength of data included in the PMT and others. A plurality ofdescriptors relating to the multiplexed data is disposed after the PMTheader. Information such as the copy control information is described inthe descriptors. After the descriptors, a plurality of pieces of streaminformation relating to the streams included in the multiplexed data isdisposed. Each piece of stream information includes stream descriptorseach describing information, such as a stream type for identifying acompression codec of a stream, a stream PID, and stream attributeinformation (such as a frame rate or an aspect ratio). The streamdescriptors are equal in number to the number of streams in themultiplexed data.

When the multiplexed data is recorded on a recording medium and others,it is recorded together with multiplexed data information files.

Each of the multiplexed data information files is management informationof the multiplexed data as shown in FIG. 28. The multiplexed datainformation files are in one to one correspondence with the multiplexeddata, and each of the files includes multiplexed data information,stream attribute information, and an entry map.

As illustrated in FIG. 28, the multiplexed data information includes asystem rate, a reproduction start time, and a reproduction end time. Thesystem rate indicates the maximum transfer rate at which a system targetdecoder to be described later transfers the multiplexed data to a PIDfilter. The intervals of the ATSs included in the multiplexed data areset to not higher than a system rate. The reproduction start timeindicates a PTS in a video frame at the head of the multiplexed data. Aninterval of one frame is added to a PTS in a video frame at the end ofthe multiplexed data, and the PTS is set to the reproduction end time.

As shown in FIG. 29, a piece of attribute information is registered inthe stream attribute information, for each PID of each stream includedin the multiplexed data. Each piece of attribute information hasdifferent information depending on whether the corresponding stream is avideo stream, an audio stream, a presentation graphics stream, or aninteractive graphics stream. Each piece of video stream attributeinformation carries information including what kind of compression codecis used for compressing the video stream, and the resolution, aspectratio and frame rate of the pieces of picture data that is included inthe video stream. Each piece of audio stream attribute informationcarries information including what kind of compression codec is used forcompressing the audio stream, how many channels are included in theaudio stream, which language the audio stream supports, and how high thesampling frequency is. The video stream attribute information and theaudio stream attribute information are used for initialization of adecoder before the player plays back the information.

In the present embodiment, the multiplexed data to be used is of astream type included in the PMT. Furthermore, when the multiplexed datais recorded on a recording medium, the video stream attributeinformation included in the multiplexed data information is used. Morespecifically, the moving picture coding method or the moving picturecoding apparatus described in each of embodiments includes a step or aunit for allocating unique information indicating video data generatedby the moving picture coding method or the moving picture codingapparatus in each of embodiments, to the stream type included in the PMTor the video stream attribute information. With the configuration, thevideo data generated by the moving picture coding method or the movingpicture coding apparatus described in each of embodiments can bedistinguished from video data that conforms to another standard.

Furthermore, FIG. 30 illustrates steps of the moving picture decodingmethod according to the present embodiment. In Step exS100, the streamtype included in the PMT or the video stream attribute informationincluded in the multiplexed data information is obtained from themultiplexed data. Next, in Step exS101, it is determined whether or notthe stream type or the video stream attribute information indicates thatthe multiplexed data is generated by the moving picture coding method orthe moving picture coding apparatus in each of embodiments. When it isdetermined that the stream type or the video stream attributeinformation indicates that the multiplexed data is generated by themoving picture coding method or the moving picture coding apparatus ineach of embodiments, in Step exS102, decoding is performed by the movingpicture decoding method in each of embodiments. Furthermore, when thestream type or the video stream attribute information indicatesconformance to the conventional standards, such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC,and VC-1, in Step exS103, decoding is performed by a moving picturedecoding method in conformity with the conventional standards.

As such, allocating a new unique value to the stream type or the videostream attribute information enables determination whether or not themoving picture decoding method or the moving picture decoding apparatusthat is described in each of embodiments can perform decoding. Even whenmultiplexed data that conforms to a different standard is input, anappropriate decoding method or apparatus can be selected. Thus, itbecomes possible to decode information without any error. Furthermore,the moving picture coding method or apparatus, or the moving picturedecoding method or apparatus in the present embodiment can be used inthe devices and systems described above.

Embodiment 5

Each of the moving picture coding method, the moving picture codingapparatus, the moving picture decoding method, and the moving picturedecoding apparatus in each of embodiments is typically achieved in theform of an integrated circuit or a Large Scale Integrated (LSI) circuit.As an example of the LSI, FIG. 31 illustrates a configuration of the LSIex500 that is made into one chip. The LSI ex500 includes elements ex501,ex502, ex503, ex504, ex505, ex506, ex507, ex508, and ex509 to bedescribed below, and the elements are connected to each other through abus ex510. The power supply circuit unit ex505 is activated by supplyingeach of the elements with power when the power supply circuit unit ex505is turned on.

For example, when coding is performed, the LSI ex500 receives an AVsignal from a microphone ex117, a camera ex113, and others through an AVJO ex509 under control of a control unit ex501 including a CPU ex502, amemory controller ex503, a stream controller ex504, and a drivingfrequency control unit ex512. The received AV signal is temporarilystored in an external memory ex511, such as an SDRAM. Under control ofthe control unit ex501, the stored data is segmented into data portionsaccording to the processing amount and speed to be transmitted to asignal processing unit ex507. Then, the signal processing unit ex507codes an audio signal and/or a video signal. Here, the coding of thevideo signal is the coding described in each of embodiments.Furthermore, the signal processing unit ex507 sometimes multiplexes thecoded audio data and the coded video data, and a stream 10 ex506provides the multiplexed data outside. The provided multiplexed data istransmitted to the base station ex107, or written on the recordingmedium ex215. When data sets are multiplexed, the data should betemporarily stored in the buffer ex508 so that the data sets aresynchronized with each other.

Although the memory ex511 is an element outside the LSI ex500, it may beincluded in the LSI ex500. The buffer ex508 is not limited to onebuffer, but may be composed of buffers. Furthermore, the LSI ex500 maybe made into one chip or a plurality of chips.

Furthermore, although the control unit ex501 includes the CPU ex502, thememory controller ex503, the stream controller ex504, the drivingfrequency control unit ex512, the configuration of the control unitex501 is not limited to such. For example, the signal processing unitex507 may further include a CPU. Inclusion of another CPU in the signalprocessing unit ex507 can improve the processing speed. Furthermore, asanother example, the CPU ex502 may serve as or be a part of the signalprocessing unit ex507, and, for example, may include an audio signalprocessing unit. In such a case, the control unit ex501 includes thesignal processing unit ex507 or the CPU ex502 including a part of thesignal processing unit ex507

The name used here is LSI, but it may also be called IC, system LSI,super LSI, or ultra LSI depending on the degree of integration.

Moreover, ways to achieve integration are not limited to the LSI, and aspecial circuit or a general purpose processor and so forth can alsoachieve the integration. Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) that canbe programmed after manufacturing LSIs or a reconfigurable processorthat allows re-configuration of the connection or configuration of anLSI can be used for the same purpose.

In the future, with advancement in semiconductor technology, a brand-newtechnology may replace LSI. The functional blocks can be integratedusing such a technology. The possibility is that the present disclosureis applied to biotechnology.

Embodiment 6

When video data generated in the moving picture coding method or by themoving picture coding apparatus described in each of embodiments isdecoded, compared to when video data that conforms to a conventionalstandard, such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, and VC-1 is decoded, theprocessing amount probably increases. Thus, the LSI ex500 needs to beset to a driving frequency higher than that of the CPU ex502 to be usedwhen video data in conformity with the conventional standard is decoded.However, when the driving frequency is set higher, there is a problemthat the power consumption increases.

In order to solve the problem, the moving picture decoding apparatus,such as the television ex300 and the LSI ex500 is configured todetermine to which standard the video data conforms, and switch betweenthe driving frequencies according to the determined standard. FIG. 32illustrates a configuration ex800 in the present embodiment. A drivingfrequency switching unit ex803 sets a driving frequency to a higherdriving frequency when video data is generated by the moving picturecoding method or the moving picture coding apparatus described in eachof embodiments. Then, the driving frequency switching unit ex803instructs a decoding processing unit ex801 that executes the movingpicture decoding method described in each of embodiments to decode thevideo data. When the video data conforms to the conventional standard,the driving frequency switching unit ex803 sets a driving frequency to alower driving frequency than that of the video data generated by themoving picture coding method or the moving picture coding apparatusdescribed in each of embodiments. Then, the driving frequency switchingunit ex803 instructs the decoding processing unit ex802 that conforms tothe conventional standard to decode the video data.

More specifically, the driving frequency switching unit ex803 includesthe CPU ex502 and the driving frequency control unit ex512 in FIG. 31.Here, each of the decoding processing unit ex801 that executes themoving picture decoding method described in each of embodiments and thedecoding processing unit ex802 that conforms to the conventionalstandard corresponds to the signal processing unit ex507 in FIG. 31. TheCPU ex502 determines to which standard the video data conforms. Then,the driving frequency control unit ex512 determines a driving frequencybased on a signal from the CPU ex502. Furthermore, the signal processingunit ex507 decodes the video data based on the signal from the CPUex502. For example, the identification information described inEmbodiment 4 is probably used for identifying the video data. Theidentification information is not limited to the one described inEmbodiment 4 but may be any information as long as the informationindicates to which standard the video data conforms. For example, whenwhich standard video data conforms to can be determined based on anexternal signal for determining that the video data is used for atelevision or a disk, etc., the determination may be made based on suchan external signal. Furthermore, the CPU ex502 selects a drivingfrequency based on, for example, a look-up table in which the standardsof the video data are associated with the driving frequencies as shownin FIG. 34. The driving frequency can be selected by storing the look-uptable in the buffer ex508 and in an internal memory of an LSI, and withreference to the look-up table by the CPU ex502.

FIG. 33 illustrates steps for executing a method in the presentembodiment. First, in Step exS200, the signal processing unit ex507obtains identification information from the multiplexed data. Next, inStep exS201, the CPU ex502 determines whether or not the video data isgenerated by the coding method and the coding apparatus described ineach of embodiments, based on the identification information. When thevideo data is generated by the moving picture coding method and themoving picture coding apparatus described in each of embodiments, inStep exS202, the CPU ex502 transmits a signal for setting the drivingfrequency to a higher driving frequency to the driving frequency controlunit ex512. Then, the driving frequency control unit ex512 sets thedriving frequency to the higher driving frequency. On the other hand,when the identification information indicates that the video dataconforms to the conventional standard, such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, andVC-1, in Step exS203, the CPU ex502 transmits a signal for setting thedriving frequency to a lower driving frequency to the driving frequencycontrol unit ex512. Then, the driving frequency control unit ex512 setsthe driving frequency to the lower driving frequency than that in thecase where the video data is generated by the moving picture codingmethod and the moving picture coding apparatus described in each ofembodiment.

Furthermore, along with the switching of the driving frequencies, thepower conservation effect can be improved by changing the voltage to beapplied to the LSI ex500 or an apparatus including the LSI ex500. Forexample, when the driving frequency is set lower, the voltage to beapplied to the LSI ex500 or the apparatus including the LSI ex500 isprobably set to a voltage lower than that in the case where the drivingfrequency is set higher.

Furthermore, when the processing amount for decoding is larger, thedriving frequency may be set higher, and when the processing amount fordecoding is smaller, the driving frequency may be set lower as themethod for setting the driving frequency. Thus, the setting method isnot limited to the ones described above. For example, when theprocessing amount for decoding video data in conformity with MPEG-4 AVCis larger than the processing amount for decoding video data generatedby the moving picture coding method and the moving picture codingapparatus described in each of embodiments, the driving frequency isprobably set in reverse order to the setting described above.

Furthermore, the method for setting the driving frequency is not limitedto the method for setting the driving frequency lower. For example, whenthe identification information indicates that the video data isgenerated by the moving picture coding method and the moving picturecoding apparatus described in each of embodiments, the voltage to beapplied to the LSI ex500 or the apparatus including the LSI ex500 isprobably set higher. When the identification information indicates thatthe video data conforms to the conventional standard, such as MPEG-2,MPEG-4 AVC, and VC-1, the voltage to be applied to the LSI ex500 or theapparatus including the LSI ex500 is probably set lower. As anotherexample, when the identification information indicates that the videodata is generated by the moving picture coding method and the movingpicture coding apparatus described in each of embodiments, the drivingof the CPU ex502 does not probably have to be suspended. When theidentification information indicates that the video data conforms to theconventional standard, such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, and VC-1, the drivingof the CPU ex502 is probably suspended at a given time because the CPUex502 has extra processing capacity. Even when the identificationinformation indicates that the video data is generated by the movingpicture coding method and the moving picture coding apparatus describedin each of embodiments, in the case where the CPU ex502 has extraprocessing capacity, the driving of the CPU ex502 is probably suspendedat a given time. In such a case, the suspending time is probably setshorter than that in the case where when the identification informationindicates that the video data conforms to the conventional standard,such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, and VC-1.

Accordingly, the power conservation effect can be improved by switchingbetween the driving frequencies in accordance with the standard to whichthe video data conforms. Furthermore, when the LSI ex500 or theapparatus including the LSI ex500 is driven using a battery, the batterylife can be extended with the power conservation effect.

Embodiment 7

There are cases where a plurality of video data that conforms todifferent standards, is provided to the devices and systems, such as atelevision and a cellular phone. In order to enable decoding theplurality of video data that conforms to the different standards, thesignal processing unit ex507 of the LSI ex500 needs to conform to thedifferent standards. However, the problems of increase in the scale ofthe circuit of the LSI ex500 and increase in the cost arise with theindividual use of the signal processing units ex507 that conform to therespective standards.

In order to solve the problem, what is conceived is a configuration inwhich the decoding processing unit for implementing the moving picturedecoding method described in each of embodiments and the decodingprocessing unit that conforms to the conventional standard, such asMPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, and VC-1 are partly shared. Ex900 in FIG. 35A showsan example of the configuration. For example, the moving picturedecoding method described in each of embodiments and the moving picturedecoding method that conforms to MPEG-4 AVC have, partly in common, thedetails of processing, such as entropy coding, inverse quantization,deblocking filtering, and motion compensated prediction. The details ofprocessing to be shared probably include use of a decoding processingunit ex902 that conforms to MPEG-4 AVC. In contrast, a dedicateddecoding processing unit ex901 is probably used for other processingunique to an aspect of the present disclosure. Since the aspect of thepresent disclosure is characterized by entropy decoding in particular,for example, the dedicated decoding processing unit ex901 is used forentropy decoding. Otherwise, the decoding processing unit is probablyshared for one of deblocking filtering, motion compensation, and inversequantization, or all of the processing. The decoding processing unit forimplementing the moving picture decoding method described in each ofembodiments may be shared for the processing to be shared, and adedicated decoding processing unit may be used for processing unique tothat of MPEG-4 AVC.

Furthermore, ex1000 in FIG. 35B shows another example in that processingis partly shared. This example uses a configuration including adedicated decoding processing unit ex1001 that supports the processingunique to an aspect of the present disclosure, a dedicated decodingprocessing unit ex1002 that supports the processing unique to anotherconventional standard, and a decoding processing unit ex1003 thatsupports processing to be shared between the moving picture decodingmethod according to the aspect of the present disclosure and theconventional moving picture decoding method. Here, the dedicateddecoding processing units ex1001 and ex1002 are not necessarilyspecialized for the processing according to the aspect of the presentdisclosure and the processing of the conventional standard,respectively, and may be the ones capable of implementing generalprocessing. Furthermore, the configuration of the present embodiment canbe implemented by the LSI ex500.

As such, reducing the scale of the circuit of an LSI and reducing thecost are possible by sharing the decoding processing unit for theprocessing to be shared between the moving picture decoding methodaccording to the aspect of the present disclosure and the moving picturedecoding method in conformity with the conventional standard.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The image coding apparatus and the image decoding apparatus according toan aspect of the present disclosure are applicable to televisionreceivers, digital video recorders, car navigation systems, mobilephones, digital cameras, or digital video cameras, for example.

1. An image coding method for coding last position informationindicating a position of a last non-zero coefficient in a predeterminedorder in a current block to be coded, the image coding methodcomprising: binarizing the last position information to generate (i) abinary signal which includes a first signal having a length smaller thanor equal to a predetermined maximum length and does not include a secondsignal or (ii) a binary signal which includes the first signal havingthe predetermined maximum length and the second signal; first coding forarithmetically coding each of binary symbols included in the firstsignal using a context switched among a plurality of contexts accordingto a bit position of the binary symbol; and second coding forarithmetically coding the second signal using a fixed probability whenthe binary signal includes the second signal, wherein in the firstcoding, a binary symbol at a last bit position of the first signal isarithmetically coded using a context exclusive to the last bit position,when the first signal has the predetermined maximum length.
 2. The imagecoding method according to claim 1, wherein in the first coding, each ofbinary symbols at two or more bit positions other than the last bitposition of the first signal is arithmetically coded using a contextcommon to the two or more bit positions.
 3. The image coding methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the binarizing includes varying thepredetermined maximum length according to a size of the current block.4. The image coding method according to claim 1, further comprising:switching a coding process to either a first coding process compliantwith a first standard or a second coding process compliant with a secondstandard; and adding, to a bit stream, identification informationindicating either the first standard or the second standard with whichthe coding process switched to is compliant, wherein when the codingprocess is switched to the first coding process, the binarizing, thefirst coding, and the second coding are performed as the first codingprocess.
 5. An image coding apparatus which performs the image codingmethod according to claim
 1. 6. An image decoding method for decodinglast position information indicating a position of a last non-zerocoefficient in a predetermined order in a current block to be decoded,the image decoding method comprising: first decoding for arithmeticallydecoding each of binary symbols included in a first signal using acontext switched among a plurality of contexts according to a bitposition of the binary symbol, the first signal being included in abinary signal of the last position information and having a lengthsmaller than or equal to a predetermined maximum length; and seconddecoding for, when the binary signal of the last position informationincludes a second signal, arithmetically decoding the second signalusing a fixed probability, wherein in the first decoding, a binarysymbol at a last bit position of the first signal is arithmeticallydecoded using a context exclusive to the last bit position, when thefirst signal has the predetermined maximum length.
 7. The image decodingmethod according to claim 6, wherein in the first decoding, each ofbinary symbols at two or more bit positions other than the last bitposition of the first signal is arithmetically decoded using a contextcommon to the two or more bit positions.
 8. The image decoding methodaccording to claim 6, wherein the predetermined maximum length variesaccording to a size of the current block.
 9. The image decoding methodaccording to claim 6, further comprising switching a decoding process toeither a first decoding process compliant with a first standard or asecond decoding process compliant with a second standard, according toidentification information which is added to a bit stream and indicateseither the first standard or the second standard, wherein when thedecoding process is switched to the first decoding process, the firstdecoding and the second decoding are performed as the first decodingprocess.
 10. An image decoding apparatus which performs the imagedecoding method according to claim 6.